LEAC increase

The LEAC has been whatever they want it to be, which today is a fuel surcharge. Yet the spikes in LEAC after Hurricane Marilyn were attributed to repayment of construction loans incurred during the disaster recovery, although in truth those bills were payed by FEMA. There is no precedent for having any confidence in any statement out of WAPA and there hasn't been since well before the Southern Energy option.

But in any case, whether or not LNG is a viable solution, whether or not the EPA's efforts to prevent us from selling the health of our children for a fast buck today are to blame, irrespective of all the tangential issues intended to distract us, the simple fact remains that it is cheaper, and has been for 35 years, for hotels and businesses to generate their own electricity than to buy it from WAPA. It was cheaper for the Buccaneer to install, fuel and maintain their own power plants 30something years ago when WAPA rates were proportionately far lower than they are today. WAPA on St Croix should enjoy a vast economy of scale even after distribution and administrative costs are factored in. Yet they do not. And with every rate increase, the economics of electric self-sufficiency are becoming attractive to ever smaller consumers.

As a result WAPAs principle efforts now are directed toward stifling windmill and solar permits and devaluing net-metering arrangements in collusion with DPNR. These are not honest people, there are no good intentions behind any of their proposals, and they deserve not sympathy or understanding but our collective unrelenting scorn at the very least and criminal prosecution in more cases than not.

Let's not trash the WAPA employees who are hard working and dedicated, especially those linemen who get called out at all hours of the day and night. They work hard. As for the rest, well they all need new jobs but who the heck will pay them more than the VI GOV does.

According to my WAPA bills over the last 9 years, my bills have gone up 293%.
That's almost a 33% percent increase per year or 100% increase every 3 yrs.

This is all money that could be better spent elsewhere but NOOOOOOOOOOO!
Our Senators had to shoot Southern Energy down because they "don want no stateside people dem telling dem how to run ting."
Great, hope the a$$holes are happy with their big fat salary increases, benefits and perks they worked so hard to give themselves
at their lame duck session and bill 6905. They are a pathetic group, each and everyone of them. And we are more pathetic for voting for these morons. Oh, Chuckie's coming on the radio! I have to get my earplugs or change the channel now! Ronald Russell is the most pathetic excuse for a Senate President. Seriously? They gotta go!

This stuff raises my blood pressure it gets me so mad!

Let's not trash the WAPA employees who are hard working and dedicated, especially those linemen who get called out at all hours of the day and night. They work hard. As for the rest, well they all need new jobs but who the heck will pay them more than the VI GOV does.

Maybe you never heard the old joke: What's blue and yellow and sleaps 4?

No, actually, I haven't.
All I know is that when a transformer blows or there is a electrical problem and WAPA has to be called to check the problem, they are on it very quickly, no matter the time of day or night. I am not complaining about the majority of people that work and labor for WAPA but for the entity as a whole and those that direct its function and future.

All I know is that when a transformer blows or there is a electrical problem and WAPA has to be called to check the problem, they are on it very quickly, no matter the time of day or night.

This has been my experience too. Blown transformers, poles catching on fire, they are out to fix it right away, even at 2am.

All I know is that when a transformer blows or there is a electrical problem and WAPA has to be called to check the problem, they are on it very quickly, no matter the time of day or night.

This has been my experience too. Blown transformers, poles catching on fire, they are out to fix it right away, even at 2am.

Mine too, and also sometimes at the most unGodly wee hours and in all kinds of weather. 😀

There are 2 parts to WAPA. I agree that the T&D (transmission and distribution) side .... the wires, transformers and switch gear, does a very good job with repairs and modernizing. This is the part of WAPA that we as end uses see directly. T&D repairs and upgrades are much lower in cost and complexity in comparison with the generation part. Most work on the WAPA generators must be done by outside companies that specialize in turbine / generator overhauls. This is why I am a firm believer that WAPA T&D be left in tack and the generation assets sold to a utility / developer that can bring in the much needed money for modernization of the fleet. Many state side utilities are T&D only.