Wärtsilä repairs target the current generation shortfall as crews prepare additional backup capacity for St. John.
ST. THOMAS-ST. JOHN, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (Nov. 5, 2026) – The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (“WAPA” or “the Authority”) is advancing critical generation repairs while moving forward with infrastructure improvements designed to strengthen backup power capacity across St. Thomas and St. John.
At the Randolph Harley Power Plant, WAPA has mobilized Wärtsilä technicians to conduct repairs on Wärtsilä 5. During the assessment of the Wärtsilä units, technicians also identified a fuel leak on a second engine, Wärtsilä 6.
Because both engines are located in the same engine hall, the leak must be addressed before technicians can safely proceed with repairs. Based on the nature of the leak, approximately 48 hours are anticipated to complete the necessary work on Wärtsilä 6, while repairs to Wärtsilä 5 are expected to take approximately seven days.
WAPA is targeting Saturday early morning through Monday morning to advance the initial work, with the overall repair effort expected to extend into the following week. Separately, Wärtsilä 7 is anticipated to be available within approximately four months, providing another generation resource for the system.
The objective is to safely return the units to service, restore available generation capacity, and address the shortfall contributing to rotational outages.
Modified rotational schedule forthcoming
While the repairs progress, WAPA is preparing a modified rotational outage schedule to provide customers with better visibility into anticipated interruptions. The updated schedule impacting additional customers is expected to be released Friday morning.
Customers are encouraged to monitor WAPA's official communication channels and remain subscribed to WAPA Alerts for updates, as operating conditions may require real-time adjustments.
St. John backup generation and 7J site preparations advance
In St. John, WAPA is advancing several connected activities to position additional backup generation capacity and prepare the infrastructure needed to support the island's longer-term power needs.
This weekend, the 7J site is being prepared for the relocation of the office trailer, trucks and other equipment used by the Line Department from Frank Bay, in anticipation of the commencement of work at the substation site for the installation of the first two emergency generators. Once installed and available for operation, the two generators are expected to provide approximately 5 MW of standby generation capacity.
As part of the broader effort, WAPA is awaiting approval from the Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Commission for permits to commence construction at the Frank Bay and Coral Bay sites.
Additional generation resources under evaluation
WAPA is also evaluating short-term solutions to supplement the territory's generation resources, including the potential use of a power barge. This option is being assessed for technical, operational, and financial feasibility, with the goal of identifying additional generation resources that could provide relief to the community sooner.
The work underway addresses both immediate generation challenges and the additional resources needed to strengthen the system over time.
"We have to address the maintenance challenges we are facing today while continuing to move the larger improvements forward," said WAPA CEO and Executive Director Karl Knight. "That means repairing existing equipment, preparing additional backup generation and advancing the infrastructure that will help us better serve our islands."
WAPA will continue to provide updates as repairs progress and project milestones are reached.
Customers may sign up for text notifications through WAPA Alerts at https://member.everbridge.net/892807736728730/new, follow WAPA’s official social media channels, @USVIWAPA, and visit www.viwapa.vi for service updates.
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