About Jamaica Public Service
HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS
Electricity came to Jamaica in 1892, thirteen years after Thomas Edison invented the first successful electric lamp. It all began when the Jamaica Electric Light Company started to supply electricity from a small coal-burning steam generating plant on Gold Street in Kingston. This was quite an achievement for Kingston, a small island city, then only nineteen years old. At that time, many large British cities were still without electricity.
Thirty-one years later, on May 25, 1923, the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) came into being as a legal entity, providing service to 3,928 customers. Up to that time, electricity had been provided by a number of small suppliers, whose assets were eventually taken over by JPS.
1892: Electricity first came to Jamaica in late 1892, with the establishment of the Jamaica Electric Light Company.
1897: Jamaica Electric Light Company’s holdings were acquired by the Jamaica Electric Light and Power Company in 1897.
1897: Another electric utility emerged, under the name West India Electric Company.
1907: The Jamaica Electric Light and Power Company sustained extensive damage during an earthquake, and due to financial problems, a new company was formed, under the name Jamaica Light and Power Company Ltd. (Canada).
1907: The Jamaica Light & Power Company Ltd. (Canada) leased its licences and property to the West India Electric Company.
1923: On May 25 the Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd. (JPS) was registered, and subsequently acquired the assets of West India Electric Company.
1945: County Electric Lighting Company, Northern Electric Lighting Company, and St James Utility sold to JPS.
1966: All-Island 25-year Electricity License issued.
1978: JPS began operating under an exclusive 39-year All-Island Electricity License.
1996: Government halted proceedings to sell JPS, after receiving bids from three overseas utility companies.
1997: JPS entered into a Performance Agreement with the Government of Jamaica.
2001: On March 30, 80 percent of the operating shares in JPS was transferred to Mirant.
2007: On August 9, Marubeni Caribbean Power Holdings, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Marubeni Corporation of Japan, purchased Mirant’s majority shares in JPS.
2009: Marubeni transferred 50 percent of its shares in Marubeni Caribbean Power Holdings to Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) of the United Arab Emirates.
2011: Abu Dhabi National Energy Company withdrew from the Marunbeni partnership. Marubeni Caribbean are therefore majority shareholders of JPS.
2011: Korea East West Power (EWP) entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with Marubeni Corporation for joint ownership of majority shares (80%) in Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd.
