Jamaica Increases its Hydroelectric Capacity

On March 26th (2014), the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSco) officially commissioned its 7.2 MW (mega-watts) expansion of the Maggotty hydro electric power plant – the single largest hydro development in Jamaica since independence.  This additionincreased the plant’s total capacity twofold and like the eight previous installations, it uses a run-of-river hydro electric plant technology. A run-of-river hydro electric power plant generates electricity using the natural flow of the river, as opposed to conventional hydro power generation which require the installation of a dam.  Maggotty II is the ninth such plant to be operated by the power company, thereby increasing its hydro electric capacity to approximately 30MW and total renewable energy portfolio to 33MW. The plant was constructed at a cost of approximately US$36 million.