After a week of rotational power outages driven by generator failures and fuel shortages, the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority found itself on firmer footing Monday. Crucial repairs were completed, and a much-needed fuel delivery arrived, promising a reprieve for the beleaguered St. Thomas-St. John district.
WAPA reported working tirelessly on repairs to Unit 15, which had been offline. Financial constraints and low fuel pressure led to gas leaks on Unit 23, forcing power rotations for most of last week. With Unit 15 offline, the Randolph Harley plant operated Saturday on Unit 23, Unit 27, and two smaller Wärtsilä units, stabilizing during the day with support from the Donoe solar farm. However, decreased solar production after nightfall necessitated short rotational outages.
By 5 p.m. Saturday, WAPA announced the completion of Unit 15 repairs, with crews working to calibrate the unit and reduce the rotations. Additionally, trucked diesel fuel provided temporary relief.
On Monday, WAPA spokesperson Shanell Petersen confirmed that Unit 23 was fully repaired and operating normally, while Unit 15 was being modified to run on liquid propane gas. “Unit 15 had been running on diesel fuel until the necessary parts were received on Friday, initiating needed repairs,” she said.
The diesel fuel delivery received off-island on Sunday is expected to last approximately a week, offering further stability.
“The Authority remains proactive in addressing financial constraints in partnership with the Incident Command under the State of Emergency. Despite these challenging times, we are committed to providing reliable energy to the community and reducing the risk of further damage to the aged infrastructure,” Petersen added.
