WAPA said crews cleared fault on St. Croix Feeder 9B after Sept. 27 outage

Official document: http://www.viwapa.vi/docs/default-source/default-document-library/09262021-electric-system-personnel-resolve-electrical-fault-on-st-croix-feeder-9b-may-have-contributed-to-island-wide-outage.pdf?sfvrsn=9ab033be_2

Archive page: https://www.viwapa.vi/news-information/press-releases/press-release-details/2021/09/27/line-department-crews-resolve-cause-of-electrical-fault-on-st.-croix-feeder-9b

The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority said electrical crews on September 27, 2021, located and cleared a fault on St. Croix Feeder 9B that it said may have contributed to a territorywide outage on St. Croix that morning and to several recent service interruptions on the feeder.

WAPA said the fault fed back into the Estate Richmond Power Plant and tripped all dispatched generators at about 9:05 a.m. Plant personnel restarted the units, and restoration began within 15 minutes. All feeders except 9B were restored first, according to the authority.

WAPA said crews inspected the feeder route and found overgrown vegetation and tree branches contacting primary service lines near the Central High School campus. With assistance from the Fire Department, crews cut back the branches, cleared the lines and restored service to all customers by 11:45 a.m.

According to WAPA, Feeder 9B serves Adventure, Aureo Diaz Heights, Castle Burke, Clifton Hill, Croixville, Diamond West, Golden Grove, UVI, New Works, Paradise, Profit and St. George.