U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS - JUNE 10, 2024 – The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (“WAPA” or “Authority”) announces Feeder 13 was successfully repaired last Friday evening.
Over the past few days, WAPA’s dedicated line department, transmission and distribution team, and additional personnel worked tirelessly to inspect and test the cable which stretches approximately five miles, with 29 manholes along the 2-mile underground portion of the transmission line. Supporting these troubleshooting efforts were contractors Haugland VI and F&R Electric. This detailed inspection and testing was crucial to identify the underground cable located in the manholes that was the source of the fault, and then repair the damaged cable.
As previously noted in last week’s press release, the heavy rains impacted progress, because pumping water out of the manholes extended the preparatory actions needed to inspect and test the cable lines.
This step-by-step approach including reports from the fault indicator system helped systematically narrow down the potential causes, reducing the number of manholes that needed investigation.
Despite the complexities, WAPA crews, alongside the two mobilized contractors, were committed to expediting the repairs, while also doing so safely. We sincerely understand the major inconvenience this situation caused and assure you that crews were committed to quickly and safely restoring power.
Simultaneously, as Feeder 13 was repaired, Unit 23 last week went offline in need of testing. Some customers on Feeders 6A and 7A noted they were not part of the rotation schedule but experienced 2-hour rotational electrical service interruptions due to reduced generation capacity. As of Monday, the Wartsila Phase 1 Unit 3 has successfully undergone regular maintenance, increasing generation capacity at the plant. However, until Unit 23 is back online, an updated rotational outage schedule is in effect in the St. Thomas/St. John district due to reduced generation capacity at the Randolph Harley power plant.
WAPA Plant Personnel are currently pursuing two routes to bring back online Unit 23 including purchasing a new Megawatt transducer and configuring a replacement transducer. For further updates, please sign up for WAPA Alerts at http://www.viwapa.vi.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority Communication’s department is committed to reaching, informing, and connecting with the youngest members of the community to the eldest, through meaningful, transparent and effective communication.
###
DOWNLOAD PDF HERE