Announcement of VIElectron/Honeywell and WAPA Partnership Faces Hurdle as Authority's Lawyer Objects to Deal's Negotiation Process

On Thursday, even as WAPA’s board decided that discussions on a deal to implement a key aspect of the power purchase agreements between itself and VIElectron was premature, Government House threw its support behind the solar company’s announced partnership with a major battery manufacturer.  During a meeting of the Water & Power Authority’s Governing Board, officials from VI Electron sought to apprise board members of a new development that they said could “allow us to drastically reduce the price of power from the current power purchase agreements,” according to Christian Loranger, VIElectron’s founder. However, that effort was blocked by WAPA’s General Counsel Dionne Sinclair, who declared that a vendor having direct communication with the board was outside the legal procurement process.  Ms. Sinclair noted that the signed power purchase agreements make reference to subsequent agreements regarding battery storage, however those have not yet been executed. “So that still has to be n...