WAPA's Richmond Power Plant. By. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS CONSORTIUM
Update: WAPA said on Saturday that the rotating power outage for St. Croix has been postponed to Monday. "The purpose of this outage is in anticipation of loss of generation at the Richmond Power Plant."
Original Story: The V.I. Water and Power Authority has announced that the St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix districts will experience rotational power outages due to a combination of inclement marine weather and offline generation units. WAPA said the outages are a proactive measure to prevent more severe disruptions and maintain electricity in the most vulnerable areas.
Ashley Bryan, chief operation officer at WAPA, explained, "We understand the inconvenience these outages may cause, but they are essential to prevent larger disruptions across the district and ensure more feeders are with electrical service throughout the weekend. We're working to find a balance between minimizing brief outages that affect a smaller number of customers and the potential for a larger-scale outage across the district. We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of our customers during this time."
In the St. Thomas/St. John district, adverse weather conditions and a low fuel inventory threaten a district-wide power failure, the authority said. To mitigate this risk, rotational outages will commence late Friday or early Saturday and continue through Sunday. The aim is to preserve electrical service in critical areas.
Meanwhile, on St. Croix, the offline status of several generation units starting Saturday will reduce the power output at the Estate Richmond Power Plant. Consequently, rotational outages during peak hours, typically from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., will be implemented indefinitely. Residents and businesses are urged to conserve energy to help stabilize the electrical grid and maintain operational feeders.
WAPA said it is actively addressing these issues to minimize service disruptions and expressed apologies for any inconvenience caused.
