The company is estimating that it will invest close to US$9.5 million (more than $845 million) to add approximately 11 megawatts new generating power to the national grid.

According to a release from the JPS, US$8.5 million of that amount will be used to add 10 megawatts at its Bogue Power Station in Montego Bay, St James, as part of its generation-expansion programme.

"This investment will see JPS maximising output from its combined cycle plant, through the installation of an air inlet cooling system," the release said.

The objective of the inlet cooling project is to reduce temperatures on the combined cycle units to a level that can facilitate the optimal production of electricity.

This upgrade will result in additional power being made available to the national grid at a time when the country is seeing its highest levels of demand for electricity. The additional capacity will be commissioned into service next month, said the JPS.

Valentine Fagan, JPS vice-president of generation expansion said it is the first time Inlet Air Cooling technology is being applied in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Increase the power output

"This represents the most economic and efficient way to increase the power output of the combined cycle plant, especially in a tropical environment such as ours where the plant output is dependent on the ambient temperature," he said.

Damian Obiglio, president and chief executive officer of the JPS, further added that this was just one of several projects being undertaken by the company to expand generation capacity.

JPS is spending another US$1 million to rehabilitate its Constant Spring hydro station in St Andrew to add another one megawatt of capacity to the grid.

The company is working in tandem with the National Water Commission for the recommission of this hydro plant later this year.