power outage stx

Call WAPA and ask.

So calling was finally helpful, after several attempts and 10 minutes of my life.

I just called 773.2250
Customer Service (option 5) - rang at least 30x with no answer
Line Dept (option 7) - no answer either
Called to listen to the Special Bulletin (option 6) which states no current power outages
Called to listen to the Outage Report - same thing states no current power outage

So then I called Customer Service a second time - same thing, no answer after 30+ rings but I stayed on the line, determined to get someone. Maybe after 40 rings (I am not exaggerating) someone answered!!!

Lo and behold we have an answer! She said on feeder 6, several trees are affecting the lines and they are having to cut trees away from the lines. That's what she said.

So there you have it.

On St Thomas I have the direct number to the Line Department. They've published it in the 'phone book on and off over the years (mostly off) and I guard it closely! I don't use it often, only if it's an emergency situation. If the power went out at my restaurant in the late afternoon/early evening I HAD to know the scoop as I didn't have generator power.

If you can find the number for STX keep it to hand as it's way easier than going through the main switchboard and particularly out of business hours.

Darn those trees for growing - who could have thought of that?

Power has been more off than on over the past three days - growing tired of hearing the generators running. Come on WAPA let's fix this already.

Well, at least we have an answer! Thanks, IslandJoan! I called a million times too, and it rang and rang, but no answer... It does seem crazy that they're still cutting away trees after 5 days-they must have been giant!

I have WAPA on speed dial.

Looks like our rates will be going back up.
http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2015/11/30/wapa-approves-base-rate-petitions-fund-generator-lease-payments-u

This doesn't include funding for the $800M they want to replace all the water lines or another $200M they want for something else.
Bend over, Hugo Hodge is calling.

one of the girls at work has been affected by this for a couple of days.

A complete lack of maintenance...as usual.

Blame the trees.

WAPA does not care about customer service....much less about receiving calls to report an outage....Yet Hugo Hodge will repeat time after time that the "emergency" phone lines and especially the line dept....are manned 24/7!!!I have heard him say this on the radio many times.What a crock!!
Also, as a government agency it is illegal not to have someone readily available to take your call!
We have been on STX for over 13 years...NOTHING has changed!!
Just don't be late in paying your bill!!!
They will shut you off before you can say WAPA!!

Posted on WAPA's Facebook page. Dated yesterday, but posted this morning. I tried to copy the text, but got an error.

WAPA Facebook post

There are never any power outages and they do not fry anyone's equipment.

On St Thomas I have the direct number to the Line Department. They've published it in the 'phone book on and off over the years (mostly off) ...

The numbers are currently published. STX is 773 0150 and is also featured on the WAPA website.

You can give us all the numbers you want but they did not answer any of them yesterday on St Croix.

Sorry, just trying to be helpful.

I spent almost 2 hours on the phone yesterday, just trying to get to speak to someone about a problem. On occasion I would get through, either to the operator or customer service, then they would put me on hold, and the call would disconnect (or they would perhaps hang up?) over and over, even after being on hold for more than 20 minutes. Worse even than usual.
I did get transferred to someone's voicemail once, but the message I left yesterday has not been responded to either.

Maybe WAPA answers their phones on STT but they don't on STX ; it's nice you tried to be helpful but we do have numbers, they just don't seem to work.

They don't respond 100% over here, either.
There have been occasions that there is no response, no matter how many times you've called and no updates on website nor info released in news or on radio while you're left wondering, "WTF!"

Hugo's contract is up soon. Maybe write to the PSC to get your CS experience on record. I'm sure there are very qualified people out there that would work hard to improve the dysfunctionality of this quaint municipal utility. And why are they using bulldozers to trim trees in the Salt River area? What Cruzan confusion, yet everyone gets paid whether they do their job or not. Sorry. I thought I was in America for a minute....

And why are they using bulldozers to trim trees in the Salt River area?

Some of those lines have probably been in there so long with everything grown up around they probably need to do some clearing just to be able to get to them. Not all the lines and poles follow along the edge of the road.

According to their map there is no feeder in Salt River. A problem in Salt River should be localized. Then again maybe that's what the "proposed recloser" shown on the map is for.

Now to think of it, the lines and poles leading up to the back of our condo complex are in the bush for quite a ways. Looking out at it you'd wonder how they ever got poles in there in the first place. Google shows a road back there but I think it's been blocked off for years. I expect they would need a bulldozer to clear the area if they needed to get in there quick to do any work. Fortunately the bush and trees are still lower than the lines so at least they won't be the cause of a problem in the near future. We'll have to keep an eye on that.