JPS restores power to parts of Ocho Rios ahead of cruise ship arrivals

By Sunday afternoon, only one of the four traffic light intersections in Ocho Rios was functioning, while many hotels and businesses were still without power.

10th of November 2025

Jamaica: Power was restored at parts of Ocho Rios, St Ann by the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) company to accommodate cruise ships that were scheduled to arrive at the resort town on Tuesday, November 11 and Wednesday, November 12, 2025.

This will be the first major tourism event since Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica on October 28 as a deadly Category five storm. The hurricane left extensive damage around the island’s north and south coasts that left at least 32 dead and caused over billions of dollars in damage.

By Sunday afternoon, only one of the four traffic light intersections in Ocho Rios was functioning, while many hotels and businesses were still without power. Some schools are preparing to open on Monday, despite the fact that electricity has not yet fully been restored.

Vana Taylor, President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association’s Ocho Rios-Runaway Bay Chapter, said that while areas like Fisherman’s Point have restored electricity to some extent, other properties which include Moon Palace remain without power.

She noted that the town was spared from the worst effects of the storm. “Some people had minor damage, but compared to the rest of the island, I think God spared our lives and our properties. Some businesses were closed briefly, some because of the lack of electricity, but overall we fared well, and we give thanks,” Taylor said.

Taylor also lauded the work of JPS, the National Water Commission (NWC), the National Solid Waste Management Authority, and the National Works Agency for their ongoing efforts in restoring services and removing debris. Several hotels across the island reported major damage right before the beginning of the winter tourism season 2025-2026.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness also expressed concern about the large-scale destruction caused by the storm. He said that the early estimates put the hurricane’s damage between US$6 billion and US$7 billion (J$962 billion to J$1.1 trillion), which equals to around 28 to 32 percent of Jamaica’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the last fiscal year.

According to JPS, electricity has been restored to about 62% of its almost 700,000 customers. The NWC has also restored service to 53% of critical sites, while 66% of major health facilities now have power again.