New Wartsila generation units at the Randolph Harley Power Plant, St. Thomas, USVI.
The V.I. Water and Power Authority said Thursday that it is set to commence reliability testing on four new dual-fueled Wärtsilä engines at the Randolph Harley Power Plant. The engines, which can operate on both light fuel oil (LFO) diesel and liquid propane gas (LPG), represent a major advancement in WAPA's efforts to enhance power reliability and stability in the St. Thomas/St. John district.
According to the authority, the 48-hour reliability test is scheduled to begin tomorrow, Friday, at approximately 4:00 p.m. To ensure continuous power supply during the testing period, WAPA has arranged for additional generation units to be on standby, thereby minimizing any potential impact on the community.
The reliability test is expected to conclude by Monday. Following this, WAPA said it will conduct further tests using light fuel oil to confirm the engines' functionality on diesel. These tests include the Net Capacity Test on Monday afternoon and the Load Acceptance Test, among others, according to WAPA. Upon successful completion, the engines will be commissioned to operate on propane, with a standard operational mix of 95 percent LPG and 5 percent LFO.
"This testing phase is crucial as we evaluate the engines' performance at full capacity, ensuring they operate optimally under various conditions," stated WAPA. The authority reassured customers that no service interruptions are anticipated during this testing phase. However, WAPA acknowledged the possibility of unforeseen issues that could lead to unexpected outages.
