Durrant Pate/Contributor

Jamaica’s leading wind power provider, Wigton Energy Limited, was spared any serious damage from the passage of Hurricane Melissa last week, based on its just-completed post-hurricane assessment.

The assessment of Wigton’s wind farm operations in Rose Hill, Manchester, identified limited damage to certain wind turbines at Phase I of the plant and no physical damage was observed at Phases II and III.  Repairs and restoration work at Phase I will commence with the support of the company’s dedicated team members, insurers, contractors, and other key stakeholders.

While Wigton’s internal restoration activities are advancing, the affected transmission lines that connect the wind farm to the national grid must first be inspected and re-energized by the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) before the wind turbines can be fully tested and returned to service. Wigton continues to work closely with JPS to facilitate this process and ensure a safe and timely restoration of grid connection.

The company expects that normal operations will resume once the grid connection has been restored and will provide further updates should there be any material developments. At the same time, Wigton’s is extending its appreciation to its employees, partners, and the wider community for their continued support throughout the recovery process and expressed heartfelt thoughts to all individuals and communities affected by Hurricane Melissa and commend the ongoing efforts toward restoration and resilience across the island.

Wigton, which maintains a 100% clean energy wind energy generation facility, has been at the forefront of Jamaica’s renewable energy sector since 2004, operating the largest wind energy facility in the English-speaking Caribbean with a 62.7 megawatt (MW) capacity in Rose Hill, Manchester. With 20-plus years of experience, Wigton has 64.85 MW of installed capacity and 122.5 tonnes of Carbon Offset Per Year.

From pioneering the largest wind farm in the English-speaking Caribbean to expanding into solar and energy storage, Wigton has built a track record of strengthening national grids and advancing the region’s energy independence.