Opposition urges solar energy shift for NWC after nationwide blackout

The Opposition says the disruption to electricity across Jamaica, and the resulting shutdowns at National Water Commission plants, showed why the Government should move more urgently to put water facilities on solar power so essential services can continue during emergencies.

The Jamaica Public Service said several instances of “significant lightning activities” close to key generating facilities caused a “cascading effect”, leaving the country without electricity for several hours from Friday night into early Saturday morning.

On Saturday, the NWC said roughly 65,000 customers were still without piped water because of the power failure, while crews continued efforts to bring supply back fully.

Ian Hayles, the Opposition Spokesperson on Water, said in a Sunday statement that the utility remains too exposed because of its reliance on the JPS grid. He said the Government must now make a clear and immediate policy turn.

"Across this country, thousands of Jamaicans are without water because this Government has refused to make the shift to solar technology. We witnessed the same devastation in Western Jamaica during Hurricane Melissa, and yet the Minister stood before this nation during the budget presentation and offered absolutely nothing new. It is the same old, same old, nearly one hundred per cent dependency on the power grid, and ordinary Jamaicans are paying the price," asserted Hayles.

Hayles said the lack of movement goes beyond poor planning, describing it as a failure of governance with consequences for public health, tourism, and everyday life in densely populated communities across the island.

"I am calling on this Government to immediately implement a policy position that moves critical NWC infrastructure onto solar and advanced renewable technology. We cannot continue to hold this nation hostage to a single point of failure. Generators must be deployed now to critical areas, our tourism corridors, as well as our largest population centres and residential communities. The people of Jamaica deserve better, and this Opposition will not rest until they get it."

He is also calling for the Government to present, during the current parliamentary session, a detailed plan to strengthen energy resilience across the water sector.