The Jamaica Public Service (JPS) is reporting extensive damage to key infrastructure across its power delivery network, following the passage of category 5 Hurricane Melissa.

Coming out of an aerial tour of the most severely hit parishes, JPS President and CEO Hugh Grant, indicates the magnitude of work for the power company:

He says the backbone of the electricity grid has suffered tremendous damage.

JPS says several high- voltage transmission facilities, including towers made of steel were destroyed by the extreme hurricane force winds that swept across  the island.

Grant explains that although it is too  early to grasp the full extent of the damage, from what has been seen  so far, it will take a while to rebuild and restore power to all customers.

JPS, in a statement  today, says while carrying out damage assessment, its teams are using the opportunity to do repairs in  areas with less extensive damage and get power back to customers where it is safe to do so.

More than 50,000 customers across Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Thomas and St. Catherine have been restored, so far.

However, Mr. Grant warns that while power has been restored to some areas, the high voltage  transmission backbone of the system that traverses some of the most severely damaged areas  remains compromised.

The JPS President says the company  is  partnering with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) to continue  helicopter patrols of those facilities in order to have a better understanding of the scope of  repairs that are required to restore those facilities and stabilize the grid.

He adds that  teams are working non-stop twenty-four sevens to get the lights back on, while it is  taking steps to get  more overseas line workers to assist.

The company is also appealing to the  public to stay away from downed power lines.