EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO RESTORE POWER AFTER A HARD POWER SURGE IS EXPERIENCED AT STT POWER PLANT

hope its back on soon for you all

Mine came back about 2:30.
People complaining of power surges as WAPA begins to restore the power. Don't know if all areas are back.

Heard Hugo on Lucky 13 this morning at 8AM saying power would be restored in 45 minutes. Ha! I knew that was fallacy, not to mention, overly ambitious. He should just be straight with people and not give unrealistic expectations.

Wonder how shopping in downtown went with the cruise ships in port and no use of credit card machines unless on generator power?
I might add, the new EVO boxes from Innovative suck.
Everyone's land line that I called was down and just rang and rang. Many cell phones had same message "This number is temporarily unavailable."

I might add, the new EVO boxes from Innovative suck.
Everyone's land line that I called was down and just rang and rang.

I didn't have a landline while the power was out because my combination 'phone/answering machine needs electricity to work. However, if I were able to find the regular 'phone that I put aside in a "safe" place who knows where, I could plug it into the outlet on the box and still have service. So since I couldn't find it, anyone who called me would have heard nothing but ring-a-ding repeats ...

My power came back on at 11:30 and none of my neighbors have been complaining - a little inconvenience but all muddled through just fine. We haven't had an outage of more than half an hour for a very long time.

Can't be. That never happens. So much negativity.

It's my understanding that those non electronic, plug into the phone outlet no longer work because of the new system. If I could find mine, I would've checked. Maybe it's visiting yours, in someplace safe!

I ran my generator for a couple hours this morning then turned it off
to save on fuel, which I'm running low on and need to order. My cell phone (ATT) service worked just fine, others didn't.

I'm glad it wasn't a 2 day event such as we had when a car took out a pole in Frenchman's Bay and STT, STJ and WI were without power for 2 days.

If people or businesses don't have a backup generator, they're wholly reliant on whims of WAPA. On a busy cruise ship day that can entail losses for those without.

When was that 2 day outage - must have been years ago. When I came here in the 80s, very frequent outages were very common and those days are long gone. Very few people had generators back then but post-Marilyn there was a steady huge increase in homeowners and businesses putting them in. I don't know of too many businesses that don't have back-up these days.

As long as the battery in the EVO box stays on (and mine stayed on for the duration of the outage) a plug in 'phone should work. If I can ever find that phone in that safe place I'll make a note about where 'tis in case I need it again!

http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2015/12/29/wapa-restores-electric-service

Massive outage blamed on Human Error says the Daily News headline.

Massive outage blamed on Human Error says the Daily News headline.

As explained in detail yesterday. And now we're all back on track and the mini crisis is over. Darn, it's been raining this morning - new crisis!

3 islands and thousands of people shouldn't be impacted by a massive outage generated by human error at WAPA. This unfortunately is typical of the service or lack, thereof, that we receive from this entity, repeatedly while paying the highest prices.
While it didn't impact you very much OT, it did many others.
Wapa was "surprised at the low amount of calls coming in."
People can't call if their phones don't work.

Numerous people and businesses were also impacted by lack of phone and internet services due to the old EVO boxes Innovative has burdened us with.

Apparently, all government employees got sent home.....with pay.

Exactly why we need to eliminate humans and start building our nanobot rulers. Joking aside, human error happens. That is just a way of life. We went without power for 6 hours or so. That human error isn't nearly as devastating as the human error when a pilot forget to set flaps, or when a train conductor falls asleep, or when a oil cargo ship's captain has a few too many drinky drinks and runs aground. Utopia does not exist

Joking aside, human error happens.

Of course it does. Continuously moaning about stuff and harping on what "should" be accomplishes not a darned thing except make you and those around you miserable. Life is infinitely more enjoyable when one appreciates all that's positive. 😀

Neither does reliable, consistent service.
http://virginislandsdailynews.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/iphone/homepage.aspx#_article47b1203c-1313-4c87-a52b-f5b1f0cfd470/waarticle47b1203c-1313-4c87-a52b-f5b1f0cfd470/47b1203c-1313-4c87-a52b-f5b1f0cfd470//true

As for the last feeder being back on at 11:52, I have to wonder why there was no power in my location until 2:30.

Neither does reliable, consistent service.

This was my first outage of over 10 minutes in at least 5 months. I dunno. It's surely not perfect but nothing is.

As for the last feeder being back on at 11:52, I have to wonder why there was no power in my location until 2:30.

That was addressed in yesterday's news. Mr Hodge explained that there were some pockets on North side STT feeders which were the very last in the power grid line and took the longest to get back. Your particular location seems to have consistently more issues than others.

Of course it does. Continuously moaning about stuff and harping on what "should" be accomplishes not a darned thing except make you and those around you miserable. Life is infinitely more enjoyable when one appreciates all that's positive. big grin

The above statement, as well, could be construed as harping about what "should" be.

Sometimes harping about what "should" be, results in positive change.

Sometimes harping about what "should" be, with others of a like mind, is cathartic, and all involved are glad to share their woes.

Just saying'...

My location does see more power outages than others as I've never experienced so many per year anywhere else that I've ever lived on the island since I moved to this site in 2003. It does get old. Very old.

My generator mechanic calculates the number of hours it runs when he comes to do the servicing in May, prior to the start of hurricane season. I average 48 - 60 plus hours of generator use, annually.

This is without using the generator for every outage. If I'm going to be out all day, I turn the auto transfer switch off so it doesn't run without my being on property. If it's a daytime outage, I run it if there's work I have to do requiring electricity and turn it off when done. Yesterday, for instance, I ran it for 4 out of the 10.5 hours my location was without electricity.

So.....in conclusion, if I feel like "harping" or "moaning" about the crappy service from WAPA, I shall continue to do so.
Or do I require your permission to do so?

Possibly, those relocating here may wish to know what to expect and buy surge protectors for their electronic equipment, have gas stoves, generators and other items such as battery operated radios, candles, flashlights, extra batteries, battery operated lights, and keep a spare 5 gallon container of water on hand. This is WAPA we are speaking of, after all. Not a smoothly running stateside opertation that charges their customers 9¢ a KWH for consistently, reliable and stable power.

Okay, I'm done.

If I were having the outages you are having I would not be happy either. Luckily we have had 2 outages in our new place since September. One was 10 minutes, and the one yesterday where neither of us were home for. I am just thankful we have gone 3 straight holidays, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas without interruption. 🙂

I am just thankful we have gone 3 straight holidays, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas without interruption

The Super Bowl is coming!!

Yep! People that I know look for places that have generators to watch the super bowl since WAPA has, frequently, in the past, had power failures in the middle of a game. Maybe y'all will luck out this year!

Another thing:
Nothing worse than having an electric stove, cooking away on a holiday for family friends and having the power go out. Of course
with a gas stove, one can run out of propane, so it pays to have 2 tanks and be able to switch over to a new one. It's the holidays and propane company is closed as are many other businesses.

Possibly, those relocating here may wish to know what to expect and buy surge protectors for their electronic equipment, have gas stoves, generators and other items such as battery operated radios, candles, flashlights, extra batteries, battery operated lights, and keep a spare 5 gallon container of water on hand.

So in other words, just be prepared for a hurricane any day of the year.

Yep... you should know by now that WAPA certainly doesn't require a storm, bad weather or a light breeze for an outage. A storm, hurricane or severe weather will just increase the chances that power will go out and for a longer duration.

Then there this:

Tregenza A. Roach, Senator
TAR# 80-2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT PERSON: ANNICE CANTON 340-693-3613

Senator Roach is Concerned with Loss of Communication Services during Blackout

Senator Tregenza A. Roach, Esq. says the recent power outage which left St. Thomas, St. John, and Water Island without power for several hours has revived his concern that residents who rely on one connection for telephone service, Internet services, and cable television will be left without access even to emergency services in the event of an extensive, long-lasting outage
Senator Roach said he has raised the concern with both Innovative and the Public Services Commission (PSC) on previous occasions, and that these entities have both responded with assurances connected to the use of a back-up battery which should ensure connectivity for several hours of an outage.
But clearly Tuesday’s outage which left many residents without telephone, Internet and cable services proves otherwise, Senator Roach, said. To compound the problem, the Senator observed that the situation also extends to the Territory’s business community, as all card transactions which require a telephone phone line are also affected. The same applies to ATM transactions as well.
At the least, the telephone company should be required to provide each of its landline households a low-cost cell phone which can be used only in the event of an emergency. Certainly our residents are worth such an investment, Senator Roach said.
“This is huge,” Senator Roach said, “It can cripple the Territory just like that.” Roach said he will bring his concerns to the PSC again and believe that VITEMA, the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency, should also have the concern about the inability of residents to communicate in the event of another outage, a hurricane, or other type of emergency.

At the least, the telephone company should be required to provide each of its landline households a low-cost cell phone which can be used only in the event of an emergency.

Last I knew, all functioning cell phones were still able to dial 911 after service contract is terminated, at least in the states. So this wouldn't be hard to do and can easily start by just keeping used phones on hand that aren't returned at end of contract. These could also be distributed to those in need. In fact there are organizations that already do this in the states.

This of course presumes that one has a cell phone signal when needed, which is not the case on all locations on STX at least. The cell towers and central office presumably have back-up generators.