WAPA Begins Rotating Outages on St. Thomas–St. John After LPG Delay Forces Grid Shortfall

Rotating power outages will begin at noon on Wednesday for customers in the St. Thomas–St. John District, the V.I. Water and Power Authority announced, after a delayed shipment of LPG fuel to the Randolph Harley Power Plant reduced available generation and exposed the limits of a grid still heavily dependent on imported fuel. According to the authority, the delay immediately affected the district’s generation mix. While light fuel oil and liquified petroleum gas have supported demand on St. Thomas and St. John, any interruption in deliveries—whether operational or related to transit—can reduce capacity. WAPA said the latest disruption illustrates the need for a broader and more flexible energy portfolio, noting that progress with renewables and storage in other parts of the territory—especially on St. Croix—has already shown how additional resources can help cushion short-term challenges. The utility said its ongoing investments in solar, storage, and system modernization aim to prov...