Rotational Outages Announced for St. Croix Due to Power Plant Issues

The V.I. Water and Power Authority (WAPA) has implemented rotational power outages across St. Croix starting today, as several generators at the Estate Richmond Power Plant unexpectedly went offline. This disruption, caused by a combination of adverse marine weather conditions and mechanical failures, has significantly reduced the plant’s capacity to supply electricity during peak demand periods.

To manage the reduced power generation, WAPA has established a schedule for rotating outages, primarily during peak hours. These will occur from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and are expected to continue until the situation is resolved. WAPA has made provisions to exempt critical infrastructure such as hospitals and airports from the outages to ensure that essential services remain operational.

The authority is calling on residents and businesses to conserve energy to help stabilize the grid and minimize the number of feeders affected by the outages. Additionally, WAPA has warned that some areas might face interruptions in water service as various pump stations lose power.

WAPA issued a statement expressing empathy for the community’s distress caused by the outages: “The Authority understands the frustration and inconvenience that these outages will cause our customers and sincerely appreciates the patience and understanding demonstrated by the community during this time.”

Below is the detailed schedule for the rotational outages in the St. Croix district:

• 8AM – 10AM: Outage affects Feeder 2A
• 10AM – 12PM: Outage affects Feeder 3A & 4A
• 12PM – 2PM: Outage affects Feeder 6A & 7B
• 2PM – 4PM: Outage affects Feeder 6B & 10B
• 4PM – 6PM: Outage affects Feeder 2A
• 6PM – 8PM: Outage affects Feeder 3A & 4A
• 8PM – 10PM: Outage affects Feeder 6A & 7B
• 10PM – 12AM: Outage affects Feeder 6B & 10B

WAPA encourages everyone affected to stay informed through updates from their website and local news sources.