U.S. Virgin Islands - July 20, 2024 - The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (“WAPA” or the “Authority”) wishes to update the community on the ongoing efforts to restore full services in the St. Thomas/St. John district. WAPA personnel have been working tirelessly on Unit 15, while also ensuring a steady supply of fuel to the plant. We are expecting a vital delivery of diesel via waterborne cargo at 5:00 AM on Sunday, July 21, 2024.
Currently, with Unit 15 offline, the plant is operating with Unit 23, Unit 27, and two Wartsila units. One of the Wartsila phase one units is undergoing necessary maintenance and is expected to be operational again by early August. Thanks to the support from the Donoe solar farm, we have managed to provide uninterrupted services throughout the day. However, as the solar farm's production decreases with the setting sun, we will face a shortfall in generation capacity until Unit 15 is back online. To manage this, WAPA has implemented a short rotation schedule that can be found at: https://www.viwapa.vi/news-information/advisory-details.
We understand that this rotation schedule may cause inconvenience, and we deeply appreciate the community’s patience and understanding. Our team has been working around the clock, not only on repairing Unit 15 but also in identifying additional sources of diesel fuel to ensure continuous operations.
**Saturday, 5:00 PM Update on Unit 15** Repairs on Unit 15 have been completed. The team is now in the process of calibrating the unit to bring it back online. This progress is expected to significantly reduce the duration of the rotation schedule and swiftly restore full services to all customers.
We greatly appreciate the community’s support and understanding during these challenging times. WAPA is committed to resolving these issues as quickly as possible and will continue to provide updates on our progress.
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.
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