U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (April 24, 2025) – The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (“WAPA” or the “Authority”) is pleased to announce the results of the Governing Board’s April 24, 2025, meeting, where several important actions were approved to support operational improvements, regulatory compliance, financial resilience, and ongoing service reliability for customers across the territory.
Among the highlights, the Board approved a no-cost time extension to the Authority’s agreement with Kami Metals, LLC for the cleanup and mitigation of the oil release from Tank 11 and the Lindbergh Bay area. This extension ensures WAPA remains in compliance with EPA and U.S. Coast Guard requirements under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The continued partnership with Kami Metals allows WAPA to safeguard the health and environment of the Virgin Islands community while strengthening emergency response readiness.
In a move to further secure its infrastructure, the Board also authorized the renewal of WAPA’s property insurance coverage for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. The policy, procured through Willis Towers Watson, provides $10 million in coverage while maintaining existing deductible structures. This ensures WAPA’s ability to recover financially from unforeseen property losses, protecting critical assets that directly support water and power service delivery to customers.
Another important action included a no-cost time extension for the Authority’s agreement with BDO for audit services, ensuring continued progress on financial reporting obligations.
During the CEO’s report, Karl Knight expressed his appreciation for the steady progress being made on multiple fronts. Notably, he shared that all Wartsila generation units in the St. Thomas-St. John district are fully online and available to support grid stability as needed. He also highlighted a successful internal engineering summit held this month, where engineers across the territory collaborated to develop innovative, high-level solutions.
“We’re building a stronger, smarter utility every day, and the decisions made by our Board reflect our ongoing commitment to protect our environment, strengthen our financial foundation, and enhance reliability for the people of the Virgin Islands,” said Karl Knight, CEO and Executive Director of WAPA. “Every investment and operational improvement we make is about delivering better service, improving resilience, and securing a sustainable future for our community.”
In his remarks, CEO Knight also paid tribute to Julice Thomas, Employee Relations Representative, who recently retired after 32 years of service to WAPA, expressing deep appreciation for her dedication and extending warm wishes for a rewarding and well-deserved retirement.
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.