ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS – The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (“WAPA” or “Authority”) would like to provide an update to the community regarding recent developments at the Richmond power plant concerning the Aggreko units and the conclusion of rotational outages on St. Croix.
Following the successful payment by the Office of the Governor and restoration of the Aggreko units last Friday, it was discovered that Unit 20, an older generation unit, required repairs due to an oil leak in the cooling system. Additionally, three other Aggreko units underwent maintenance after being brought back online.
As a result of these maintenance activities, the available generators at the plant were unable to manage loads during the reduced load generation capacity exceeding 38 megawatts, which is typical during peak hours.
The Authority acknowledges the confusion surrounding the recent rotational outages. The initial rotational outage on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, on St. Croix was due to the Aggreko units being offline because of nonpayment. However, the rotational outage this week, until Wednesday, April 24, was caused by Unit 20 and three Aggreko units being offline for repairs and maintenance.
We are pleased to inform the public that as of this morning, Unit 20 has been successfully repaired, and one of the three Aggreko units has also been repaired and returned to operation. Consequently, the rotational outages for the island of St. Croix have concluded with increased generation capacity.
The Authority sincerely apologizes for the inconvenience caused by recent disruptions in essential services and rotational outages, understanding the significant impact on the community. Emphasizing collaboration with stakeholders, WAPA aims to enhance the stability and resilience of the Richmond power plant by acquiring more efficient generation units and considering ownership of the Aggreko units instead of leasing, actions that will notably improve electrical services for customers on St. Croix. WAPA takes full accountability for the situation and values the patience of its customers during this period and remains committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability and efficiency of its operations.
For updates and more information, please visit www.viwapa.vi and/or social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. To learn more about WAPA’s strategic plan to financial stability, visit: https://www.viwapa.vi/strategicplan.
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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