U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (April 1, 2026) – The Governing Board of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (“WAPA” or “the Authority”) met today to receive an update from CEO and Executive Director Karl Knight on ongoing efforts to stabilize generation in the St. Thomas–St. John district.
During the meeting, CEO Knight advised the Board that the Authority is advancing plans to secure permanent and emergency generation to help meet peak demand and strengthen system reliability. The Board took action to direct the Executive Director to present a comprehensive plan of action for temporary emergency generation to the Board by April 8, 2026.
“We are very close to moving into the construction phase for temporary generation,” Knight said. “We are evaluating smaller emergency units that can help us get through peak demand while we complete permanent repairs. We are making decisions as quickly as we can, while still conducting the necessary due diligence. Over the next few days, we will be gathering final information from potential vendors. These steps will put us well on our way toward greater redundancy and better preparation for future system challenges.”
Knight also reported that a power generation specialist would be arriving in the territory today to conduct diagnostics on Unit 15, which remains offline. The assessment is expected to help identify the cause of the ongoing issues and provide guidance on the most expeditious path for returning the unit to service.
In parallel, Unit 27 has been identified as a priority repair. Expedited replacement parts are now expected to arrive today, allowing crews to move forward quickly with restoration efforts once the components are received.
While progress continues, Knight advised the Board that the rotational outage schedule will remain in effect until sufficient generation capacity is restored to meet customer demand without overloading the system.
The Board was also updated on encouraging progress in St. John, where work continues towards providing local generation and improving resilience for residents and businesses on the island.
WAPA thanks customers for their continued support and understanding as plant personnel work to complete repairs and return units to service.
Customers are encouraged to stay informed by signing up for WAPA alerts and monitoring official communication channels for updates on the rotation schedule and restoration efforts.
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