The Virgin Islans Water and Power Authority (WAPA) petitioned the Public Services Commission (PSC) to reconsider its decision of it lowering the Levelized Energy Adjustment Clause (LEAC), take in action on the base rate petition, and allowed the lease generating noon surcharge to expire at the end of this year. WAPA said that as a result of the PSC’s action, the Authority will be unable to meet its payment obligations to its LPG fuel supplier, and will not be able to buy the lower cost propane fuel. WAPA will have to use the more expensive No. 2 fuel oil.
WAPA asks that the commission grant WAPA a temporary surcharge equal to $29.7 million, based on the PSC hearing examiner’s recent report. This would equate to 5.7 cents per kilowatt-hour. This surcharge would need to remain in place until the PSC acts favorably on the permanent base rate petition now before it for consideration. This would result in an overall residential cost of approximately 43 cents per kilowatt-hour.
WAPA’s reconsideration petition notes that unless the LEAC is increased, the Authority will not be able to supply electric power in the territory continuously. This will result in power outages.
The St. Croix Federation of Teachers Local 1826 and St. Thomas-St. John Federation of Teachers Local 1825 are leading rallies on all three islands Dec. 18 to join with parents and community members to raise public awareness of the ongoing underfunding of public education in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a release the local chapters issued has made known. “We will join with others who support our public schools to make our voices heard on what has become a perpetual funding gap that has literally brought education to a standstill in the territory,” said Rosa Soto-Thomas, president of the St. Croix Federation of Teachers.