Great news folks! Power is expected to be restored in Cruz Bay by the middle of next week!! The following information was just posted in the VI Consortium:
- WAPA will continue the restoration of electrical service to several areas across St. Thomas within the next week. Sections of St. John are expected to receive an initial wave of service restoration by next week.
- On Friday, divers will be performing assessments of WAPA’s submarine cables to St. John, Hassel Island and Water Island, as preparations are made to restore electrical service to those areas.
- Based on current restoration work schedules, WAPA is projecting to energize its East End Substation on Sunday and will thereafter begin to restore service to portions of Cruz Bay, including the Julius Sprauve School by the middle of next week.
Potable Water Information:
- There are four days of emergency water storage on St. John, nine days on St. Thomas and three days on St. Croix. In general, the potable water system is more than 90% restored in both districts following the two hurricanes.
- On St. John, repairs are pending at the Cruz Bay pump station. Until these repairs are completed, the town of Cruz Bay is being provided potable water service from St. Thomas.
Great news! Any insights on how long it will take before the rest of the island will have power?
It is going to take months or longer! WAPA is not really doing all it could to speed the process either. In fact, its latest announcement that no power will be connected to a home unless the homeowner has first had the home’s weather head and meter post inspected by a VI certified electrician seems outrageous in view of the extent of the hardship being suffered across the island. It’s Obviously important to make sure these two items are safe and undamaged, but why put that burden on individual homeowners? Why doesn’t WAPA check the condition of those items themselves (at home owner’s request) and, if necessary, bill the homeowner for the service??? Trying to line up electricians to do the inspection is going to be extremely difficult and tums-consuming for most home owners.
WAPA posted this evening: On St. John, crews will work to energize portions of Feeders 7E and 9E with emphasis on downtown Cruz Bay, Mongoose Junction and Dolphin Market.