Bryan May Declare Energy State of Emergency Tied to WAPA as Fuel Costs Increase; Other Price Mitigation Measures Being Taking; Battery Systems Under Consideration

Governor Albert Bryan may declare an energy state of emergency tied to the V.I. Water and Power Authority, an action the governor said is being weighed because of the unprecedented increase in the cost of fuel being driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.  Speaking during an interview with the Consortium Sunday, Mr. Bryan said residents feeling pain at the pump would also see shocking increases in their electricity bills by way of the Levelized Energy Adjustment Clause, or LEAC, which is the cost of fuel to WAPA that is passed on to consumers. Mr. Bryan described the increases in electricity bills as "imminent" and said his administration has been thinking of different ways to offset the cost. "We were set before to do it but this new development in Ukraine is a whole different ball game now. We were not expecting gas prices to increase by 30 to 40 percent," he said. The governor said while gas prices show the most immediate impact, other areas of the economy will be affected becaus...