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"ST. THOMAS - With the price of oil at more than $90 a barrel, the V.I. Water and Power Authority is looking for a 30 percent hike on residential and commercial electric bills in December and soon will ask the Public Services Commission to approve the sharp increase.
Under the proposed rate change, residential customers using 500 kilowatt hours would see their $139 monthly bill shoot up to $182 - an increase of $43, according to WAPA.
Commercial accounts would see bills increase 28 percent, and large power customers would see bills rise 33 percent, according to WAPA. "
"The authority is facing a critical operating cash shortfall,,,"
If our tax dollars that are earmarked for government and hospital WAPA bills actually went toward paying those bills instead of lining corrupt politicians' pockets, perhaps the authority wouldn't be facing a critical operating cash shortfall.
http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17617256
Posted : November 15, 2007 1:00 am
Question. Was WAPA able to fix the problem that was reported in the news where there was illegal connections/hookups for electricity?
Posted : November 15, 2007 2:10 pm
That is a small contributing factor, but the real problem is the price of oil.
WAPA's current rate is based on $65 dollar a barrel oil. With oil over $90 now what can they really do?
The solution is for them to invest hundreds of millions in technology that utilizes some lower cost source of energy. How is the VI going to finance that amount of capital spending for WAPA? The debt per capital in the VI is huge.
The only solution is for individual energy users, that can afford it is to go to solar wind power or other sources for their energy needs. The poor in the USVI who can't afford to make a many thousand dollar investment in something with a multi year payback are only going to get poorer.
Jim
Posted : November 16, 2007 12:29 am
Jim,
You are right on!
Solar being the best option.
Posted : November 17, 2007 12:10 pm
I would guess that this would not be the problem if this entity was not owned by the incompetent government who feel they are above paying the bills they run up....maybe they should start cutting their usage if they can't pay the bills......perhaps start by turning off the air conditioning in the legislature building.
Posted : November 17, 2007 12:52 pm
Better yet, WAPA should shut down the electricity until the bills are paid. That's what happens to mere mortals like us.
Posted : November 17, 2007 3:26 pm
WAPA and the government are one in the same. The government needs tax dollars to pay its bills. Unless they get more efficent or make cuts elsewhere the more they pay WAPA the more they have to tax you and me.
With the present system at least people who choose not to become VI residents contribute to the operation of WAPA. If electric rates were lower because the government taxed enough to pay itself (WAPA) for the electricity it used only VI residents would suffer by paying higher taxes while all the snowbirds and other non residents would pay lower electricity rates without paying the off setting increase in VI Income taxes.
Jim
Posted : November 18, 2007 3:00 pm
The IRB gets MORE than enough in taxes. The government just can't manage it well with their bloated payrolls, government cars for way too many of their employees, etc., etc., etc. We pay way too much for the almost non-existent government services already. I remember this as I go to work on the multiple government holidays where the traffic is so much lighter (about the only benefit.) Isn't the government the largest employer on the island? That tells you something.
They could have sold a chunk of WAPA to a reputable US company willing to invest money to upgrade the system but voted it out. It's ridiculous & high time the government remembers who its employers really are.
Posted : November 18, 2007 8:47 pm
