Blame it on rising oil prices. The Water and Power Authority has gotten approval to raise utility bills in September. Director Alberto Bruno-Vega expects electric bills to rise by six percent, according to the Virgin Islands Daily News. WAPA said it has absorbed $17 million in higher fuel costs since January and now will recoup that money in higher prices over the next 36 months. “It’s the reality of the market,” Bruno Vega said. WAPA officials estimate the average residential customer will be paying about 20 cents per kilowatt hour. By comparison, stateside electricity customers in Virginia pay about 5.5 cents KWH.
You can now pay your WAPA bill on the Internet. “Why stand in line?,” said spokeswoman Laurie Christian, in comments to the St. John Source. The agency’s Web site is www.viwapa.vi. Customers logon using their account number and can then pay their bills, request a change of address and look at their consumption rates. The Web site’s home page carries a notice that it was “partially made possible by a grant from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.” What’s that about?