WAPA and the rate increase

What makes you think that "anyone" in our government will "wake up" and adress this problem?
This is a more than a couple of decades in the making and NOTHING has EVER been done about it!
Which is why we are CURRENTly in this situation.
These increases drive the cost of everything up as vendors, suppliers, businesses struggle to continue to afford to pay their WAPA bills and must and do pass the increases on to their customers who are also struggling to afford to pay all the increases.

Our government must want to drive all businesses and residents to relocate off-island because that is exactly what is going to happen.

How can your electric bill be more than your mortgage payment? It is beyond comprehension that this has been allowed to continue unchecked all these years by the "CARE LESS" attitude of all of our elected officials.

Dining by candle light shall be courtesy of WAPA.

Has there ever been discussion of a boycott?

Boycott of what? WAPA? We already do without power without the boycotts.

I am conserving as much as I can and this upcoming bill is the highest I've had since I moved here.
I am not a very happy camper!
It is just unbelievable :X

NO I DON'T THINK ANYTHING WILL CHANGE. THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT IT WANTS TO DO. BUSINESS WILL LEAVE THE ISLANDS. RENTALS WILL NEED TO INCREASE TO A LEVEL WHERE NO ONE CAN AFFORD TO RENT, PEOPLE WITHOUT JOBS WILL BEGIN TO ROB AND KILL EVEN MORE THAN NOW (YES IT IS POSSIBLE) AND IT WILL GO ON AND ON.

I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN OUT WHEN I COULD HAVE A FEW YEARS AGO.@@@!!!!!

BILLD

After ten years on STT- We have decieded it's time to throw in the towel. It's just completely outrageous now. It's just not worth it anymore.(td):-(

Really, really sad. Is the 20% on top of the LEAC 19%? Scary for a newbie like myself. We're gonna have to do candle light and REALLY conserve! I'm used to $300 bills in AZ just gonna assume its going to be about the same there. Ugh.

Can islanders do anything about it? I can image LOTS of people are going to feel the same as island girl. Really sad.

I am by no means defending WAPA but our price per kilowatt has been higher than this in the past. I believe in 2008 our effective WAPA rate was as high as 51 cents per kilowatt. While certainly an outrageous expense, the local economy did not collapse because of it. I agree that something needs to be done to lessen the overall impact, but, other than a decrease in the price of oil worldwide, whatever can be done will most likely not have a significant effect for years. So those who think there is anything that can be done to reduce our WAPA rates to a reasonable level in the forseeable future are delusional. While high electric rates are certainly a factor in businesses closing, I suspect the lack of customers due to an overall poor economy are the main culprit for most.

Can people start posting their actual usage and recent bills? Sometimes I think I'm the only person here that things the rage over the LEAC is totally overblown and it's really not nearly as bad as you'd think reading these boards. Do you all have 5 window units cranked 24/7 or something? The price of electricity is posted about constantly but out there on the island I've never heard anyone mention it (excluding business owners, talking residential), it's always just complaints about outages.

I have a 18cu ft fridge with top freezer, Mac G5 with 23" lcd on 24/7, Dell P4 on 24/7, two 17" laptops plugged in 24/7, laser printer, stereo receiver with two large floor speakers, 30watt guitar a amplifier, 3-5 fans running constantly, 32" lcd tv used mainly from 6 or 7pm to 10 or so, smallish water heater, washing machine used a lot, and 2 smartphones. I barely crack $150/mo on my WAPA bill. Just looked back at my last 12 months billing history and it fluctuates between $120-$160 depending on how often I shut down the desktops, that's really not bad.

The power fluctuations and outages, that's a different story. Kind of tired of buying power supplies and replacing batteries in UPSs.

JE, you're right. I remember in '08 watching the rate increases to a point in one month I hit a high of $650.00 in electric for the 1,000 square ft. condo I was renting... Freakin' OUCH!

While our decision to leave STT was made not too long ago, seeing the LEAC increase just confirms to us we're getting out of here at the right time.

STT and the rest of the USVI can be a great place to live; but it depends on individual priorities. Ours are just not here any longer...

Pick a day and organize. Cut back or turn everything off for one day. It may do nothing or it may show them you're serious.;)

they tried all of these things back when people were protesting in front of government house. things are the same/worse now. hope things change but i have no hope

Pick a day and organize. Cut back or turn everything off for one day. It may do nothing or it may show them you're serious.;)

That protest would only work, if everyone on all 4 islands got together to do so and that would have to include all businesses as well. If every single resident turned off the power to their breaker boxes for 6 hrs. it would make an impact.

The chances of EVERYONE getting together to do that?

What do you think?

again, that has been proposed a number of times-it is impossible for all people to turn off power for that long. they tried that two years ago and 4 years ago when all of the protesting was going on at government house.

Can people start posting their actual usage and recent bills? .

I'm curious too. I've said this before but it's worth repeating. I reduced my WAPA bills over 40% at my business - from close to $1K to $550 average a month (two A/C units, two large refrigerators, 3 freezers, microwave, 9 ceiling fans, TVs, computer, etc.) by gradually replacing energy-deficient appliances with energy-efficient, replacing standard light bulbs both inside and outside with energy-savers; replacing old toilets with new low-flushers (more for the lesser demand on the water pump than on the water); keeping the water heater thermostat at a good hot as opposed to scalding; and more that I can't remember off-hand. I just don't understand how someone living in a simple home can be wracking up WAPA bills of $400 plus every month unless they just don't have a clue about conservation.

Nothing to do with a commentary about WAPA's rates but going along with trainwreck's train 😀 of thought and curious.

I don't even use hot water to wash clothes.
I am considered getting an electrical usage evaluation to see what else I can do to conserve energy and reduce WAPA payments.
If you can't afford a new low flush toilet, put bricks or rocks in the toilet tank to reduce holding capacity of water.

I live in a large 4 bedroom house with my wife and 3 kids, ages 7, 9, and 12. We moved here from New England to get away from the cold, so we do not have a/c and thats fine with me. We have a fridge, gas stove, and cistern water. We have a washer and electric dryer but we almost always use the clothes line. We have 2 laptops on pretty much all the time. 3 ceiling fans that get alot of use and 4 pedestal fans that usually get run all night. We have 2 tvs, xboxs, wiis, and various tablets. We have mostly those cfl bulbs in the lights or led night lights..

I dont think we do as much as we should to conserve electricity, but our electric bill from last month came to 122. That is still probably twice what we paid in New England, but we also had to pay for oil to heat our house and a water/sewage bill to the town. So, I am in no means telling WAPA its okay to raise my rates, I just dont know how some people run up bills of 600 plus dollars.

From the point of percentages, this will really hurt business owners who already have huge WAPA bills. If they stay open they will have to raise prices to survive, hurting the consumer. If the small stores close, we will really be in trouble.

Pick a day and organize. Cut back or turn everything off for one day. It may do nothing or it may show them you're serious.;)

That protest would only work, if everyone on all 4 islands got together to do so and that would have to include all businesses as well. If every single resident turned off the power to their breaker boxes for 6 hrs. it would make an impact.

The chances of EVERYONE getting together to do that?

What do you think?

Then sit there and do nothing and nothing will change including all the complaining about it.*-)

Seriously loucypher?

I am willing. Are you AND everyone else on all 4 islands?
That's the ONLY way it would be able to be effective.

its not just a matter of willingness, do you think business are willing to loose any of the little business they have-gas stations, pharmacies, doctors-people that absolutely need electricity to live. there are a lot of reasons why everyone would not be able to participate.

Then sit there and do nothing and nothing will change including all the complaining about it.*-)

Your negativity on most subjects comes through loud and clear even through the dank and dense all-pervading fog from which it crawls out. Nary a positive word to say and nary a solution other than to encourage mass revolt whether it be against a business or a government entity. What do you do to effect change? And since you challenged another poster on how long she's lived here, may I ask you the same question most civilly and in hopes of a civil response?

People....people.....can we all just get along............

In case anyone is interested.......

http://www.viwapa.vi/News/MediaLibrary/Energy_Production_Action_Plan.aspx

At least its a start...

People....people.....can we all just get along............

I didn't think we weren't! A forum is a debating medium and one in which one cordially agree to disagree if a stalemate is reached.

Seriously loucypher?

I am willing. Are you AND everyone else on all 4 islands?
That's the ONLY way it would be able to be effective.

If it was done on a Sunday when most businesses are closed and only for a few hours (6 max.) that would not harm refrigetated goods or businesses etc. do you think there would be meaningful impact and effect any change?