(Kingston, Jamaica: July 4, 2023)  Over 34,000 JPS customers are now benefitting from the recent expansion upgrade of the Parnassus Substation in Clarendon. 

According to Senior Vice President for Energy Delivery, Blaine Jarrett, the project was born out of the need to increase capacity, and will now allow more customers to be added to the network in the area, while resulting in greater service efficiencies for these customers. 

Mr. Jarrett, explained that “Capacity in the area has now more than doubled.  The substation serves directly 13,000 customers from York Town, Mineral Heights, Halse Hall, Palmers Cross, Osbourne Store, Hayes and Clarendon Park and overall, a total of over 34,000 customers in the wider May Pen and Clarendon Service Area.  The project was completed at a cost of US$2.25M or J$347.6M.”   

Additionally, the upgrade has other benefits, by providing some level of back-up in the supply, improving the Company’s ability to conduct maintenance work, without requiring the disruption of service to all customers to do so. Thus enhancing the reliability of service to these customers. 

In assessing the project, Transmission and Distribution Engineer and Project Manager, Liveen Harris, stated that despite the challenges which would have included working during the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant issues, the project was completed within the scheduled two-years. 

The Parnassus Substation Expansion Project is part of a larger initiative to upgrade substations, and by extension, service islandwide. The selection of projects (substations) is data-driven, based on the need.  Upcoming substation expansion projects include Porus in Manchester this year, followed by Paradise in Westmoreland.  

JPS continues to commit itself to serving the Jamaican public with the highest levels of quality service. 

JPS team members receiving new equipment at the Parnassus Substation in Clarendon. They are: (l-r) Steve Windross, Manager of Engineering Projects; Jermaine Clarke, Substation Technician; and Contractor, Ralph Smith. The upgrading works at the Parnassus substation have led to an improvement in service to customers in York Town, Mineral Heights, Halse Hall, Palmers Cross, Osbourne Store, Hayes and Clarendon Park, among other areas.

Member of the contractor team, Lionel McDowell (centre) oversees the installation of new equipment at the JPS Parnassus Substation in Clarendon. The upgrades have led to an improvement in service to customers in York Town, Mineral Heights, Halse Hall, Palmers Cross, Osbourne Store, Hayes and Clarendon Park, among other areas.