JPS Begins Phased Power Restoration After ‘Unacceptable’ Islandwide Blackout, Vaz Says

The Jamaica Public Service Company has begun restoring electricity across Jamaica after an all-island power outage on Friday night, Energy and Telecommunications Minister Daryl Vaz said in a statement on June 5, 2026. Vaz described the blackout as “unacceptable” and said he had been informed by JPS leadership that efforts were underway to restart all power stations. According to the minister, the utility’s goal is to restore power to the entire island in phases overnight into Saturday morning.

The outage affected the whole country and prompted an immediate response from the government. Vaz said the matter was being treated seriously and that the public should expect further updates as restoration continued. He indicated that the electricity company was working to bring services back online gradually, rather than all at once, as part of the recovery process.

In his statement, Vaz also said he has demanded a full report from JPS within 24 hours. That report, he said, must explain what caused the power failure and outline the circumstances behind the widespread disruption. The minister added that he would update the nation once the information is received and reviewed.

The blackout came as a major inconvenience for residents, businesses and essential services across Jamaica, with the interruption affecting households nationwide. JPS’s restoration efforts were expected to continue through the night as the company worked to stabilize the system and return supply across the island.

Vaz’s response underscored the seriousness of the incident and the expectation of accountability from the utility provider. His comments also suggested that the government wants a clear explanation of how an outage of this scale occurred and what measures will be taken to prevent a repeat.

The incident has drawn attention because it involved the entire island’s electricity supply and required emergency restoration efforts from the national utility. With power stations being restarted and a phased return of electricity underway, the focus has now shifted to how quickly service can be fully restored and whether the cause of the outage will be identified promptly.

The minister’s statement made clear that the government expects both recovery and transparency from JPS. While electricity was being brought back in stages, residents across Jamaica were awaiting confirmation that full service had resumed and that a formal explanation for the outage would follow.