U.S. Virgin Islands (June 19, 2026) – The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (“WAPA” or “the Authority”) Governing Board took several actions yesterday, Thursday, June 18, 2026, aimed at strengthening storm preparedness, ensuring operational continuity, and supporting the Authority's continued path toward operational stability.
Among the actions approved unanimously by the Board was a no-cost extension of WAPA's emergency line crew contract with Haugland Virgin Islands through November 30, 2027, including an additional contract with BBC Electrical Services, Inc. These agreements ensure that additional crews and specialized equipment can be mobilized quickly should hurricanes or other major events impact the Territory's electrical grid.
Having emergency restoration resources secured in advance allows response efforts to begin immediately after a storm, eliminating delays and helping speed the restoration of service to customers. Both contractors have an extensive knowledge of the Virgin Islands' electrical system, terrain, logistics, and operational challenges provide an added advantage during emergency response and recovery.
The Board also approved expanding the Authority's bank signature authorization to include the Chief Engineer, providing additional flexibility to ensure critical financial transactions can continue without interruption when key personnel are unavailable. The action strengthens operational continuity and supports the Authority's ongoing business functions.
Following executive session, the Governing Board reported no action was taken.
CEO and Executive Director Karl Knight also presented his executive report, highlighting the skill and professionalism displayed by WAPA lineworkers during the inaugural Lineworkers Exhibition and Festival held in late May on St. Croix. Knight also provided updates on system improvements, including progress on the Feeder 7E distribution circuit connection to St. Thomas, the undergrounding of Feeder 9E and plans for standby generation that will provide added redundancy and much-needed energy relief for St. John customers.
As part of the Authority's broader efforts to improve our billing accuracy and reliance on estimated billing, Knight reported that FEMA's approval of the Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) review marks a significant milestone in advancing meter replacements, beginning in St. John this fall. Knight also highlighted ongoing work across the Authority to improve operations and service delivery while strengthening partnerships with federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy, whose representatives recently joined WAPA and contractor R-G Engineering/Javelin Gramercy Ventures Joint Venture for a site visit at the Randolph Harley Power Plant. Temporary generation projects currently underway are expected to provide additional capacity and support to both districts before the end of the year.
The Board meeting also took place amid ongoing restoration efforts in the St. Thomas-St. John district, where some customers have experienced rotating outages throughout the day as crews worked to repair a damaged section of the Feeder 13 transmission line. While repairs were initially expected to be completed by late afternoon yesterday, unanticipated challenges encountered during the installation of the replacement cable extended the work and delayed restoration.
Crews successfully removed and replaced the damaged cable section, however testing failed late last night indicating additional faults are impacting restoration. The Authority acknowledges the strain some customers have experienced after enduring multiple service interruptions in recent weeks and reaffirmed its commitment to keeping the community informed throughout the process.
Rotating outages remain in effect while crews continue to identify and repair additional faults affecting the Feeder 13 transmission line. Because the extent of the remaining damage is still being assessed, an estimated time for full restoration is not yet available. The Authority will continue to keep the community informed as repairs progress and customers are restored. For real-time updates, customers are encouraged to sign up for WAPA Alerts at https://member.everbridge.net/892807736728730/new.
While challenges remain, the Authority remains committed to strengthening its infrastructure, preparing for hurricane season, and building a more resilient utility capable of delivering reliable electric and water service to the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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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