WAPA’s Wärtsilä units, now central to generation efforts as the authority works to stabilize service in St. Thomas and St. John.
The V.I. Water and Power Authority says it is moving closer to stabilizing service in the St. Thomas-St. John district as power repairs continue and water pressure gradually improves following the repair of a major main line leak, though the territory remains without enough generation to meet peak demand while its three largest units stay offline.
In an update issued Friday, WAPA said it continues working to stabilize both power generation and water service, while acknowledging the strain service rotations have placed on the community.
The authority said relief is drawing nearer and that progress is being made, with every available resource focused on restoring stable, reliable service as quickly and safely as possible.
WAPA said three of the system’s 10 generators — Units 15, 23, and 27 — remain offline for maintenance and repairs and are scheduled for replacement under the Prudent Replacement Program. Without those units, the authority said, the system does not have enough power to meet peak demand.
According to WAPA, the Wärtsilä units are running, but they cannot fully replace the output of the larger units during periods of highest consumption, which the authority said typically run from about 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. That shortfall, WAPA said, is the reason the district continues to experience limited generation.
The authority said work remains underway on Unit 27, which it described as the fastest path to restoring additional generation capacity. Repairs and reassembly are actively ongoing, and WAPA said no additional parts are needed at this time.
At the same time, Unit 15 is undergoing troubleshooting and a full assessment following identified damage. WAPA said no restoration timeline can yet be confirmed until that assessment is complete, but teams are moving urgently to determine next steps and accelerate the unit’s return.
On the water side, WAPA said its Water Maintenance crews have made meaningful progress with the successful repair of the 24-inch main line leak on Polyberg Hill.
The authority said water pressure is gradually improving as the system is re-energized and continues to build. Customers in elevated areas may still experience delays as pressure is restored across the system, WAPA said.
The authority also urged customers to conserve water during what it described as a critical phase, saying current inventory levels are still affecting how quickly full system pressure can be restored.
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