Power outages across the territory Thursday were from downed poles, not electrical-generating equipment or transformers damaged by Tropical Storm Ernesto, officials said.
With pocket outages across both island districts, rumors swirled that the Water and Power Authority lacked transformers and other key technical gear. Not so, said Shanell Petersen, WAPA’s communications director.
Power plants were operating as they were supposed to, Petersen said, and crews were working to replace storm-battered power poles. Equipment on some of the fallen poles did catch fire, she said, but replacement parts were on island.
“At times, when we have vegetation that impacts the lines, it can cause a fire and sparking, which then may require additional repairs,” she said. “We had a few fires in both districts.”
The only poles to fall were older wooden ones, not the newer composite poles, Petersen said.
“Generation is fine at the plant,” Petersen said. “We actually saw a lot more of older uprooted trees that caused impact and some vegetation and debris that also caused the power lines [to come] down.”
WAPA crews were clearing away overgrown vegetation from power lines Thursday, said Executive Director Karl Knight.
WAPA contracted with utility firm Haugland Group to help get the poles cleared of debris and put back up, Petersen said. WAPA officials asked that Virgin Islanders assist by staying off roadways as much as possible and report power outages to the Tropical Storm Ernesto call center, open until 8 p.m. at 340-715-8007.
The 16 WAPA employees minding the lines had fielded 226 calls by 3 p.m. Thursday, Knight said.
“We are requesting calls from individuals who have had their feeders restored but they still have no power to their homes or businesses,” he said. “If you are in that situation, please feel free to use the call center’s number.”
WAPA was also looking for calls about power poles leaning or that had fallen in the roadway, and downed power lines, WAPA officials said.
Some upset Virgin Islanders had changed WAPA from a noun to a verb in social media posts, saying they’d been WAPA’d again.
Knight, speaking at a 5 p.m. online briefing, said crews were prioritizing on St. Thomas feeders 7B, 8B and 9C, as well as a downed pole affecting 7A and 8A. Some 11,983 WAPA customers had power, he said, about 45 percent of St. Thomians depending on WAPA power.
On St. Croix, 10,354 WAPA customers had power, about 43 percent. Linemen were concentrating on repairing feeders 8B, 6A, 6B, 7B, 8B, 10B, and 9B, which needed a pole change.
“We think we’re going to be able to make steady progress going into the evening hours,” Knight said. Crews would likely work until at least 9 p.m.
On St. John, 891 customers were still without power, most on feeder 7E, Knight said.
Away from the immediate electricity trouble, Knight said it was a sober day at the authority. Apprentice lineman Michael Edwards Jr. was buried Thursday. Edwards, whose mother and father were both WAPA employees, had been “murdered” for his gold chain, Knight implied.
“We depend on our line workers every single day and especially during times like these. They are much more valuable to this community than any single gold chain will ever be,” Knight said.
The Virgin Islands Police Department said midday Saturday, July 27, at least six people were shot on the Christiansted boardwalk.
Detectives found Michael Edwards, 36, on the ground unresponsive.
Five others were transported by private vehicles to Juan F. Luis Hospital for treatment. Their injuries ranged from superficial injuries to the lower extremities to significant head and throat gunshot injuries that required immediate surgical intervention, police said. The investigation continues in this matter.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it had stationed 112 FEMA personnel and 123 personnel from other federal agencies to help the territory, to “support life safety and life-sustaining response operations, as needed.”
“FEMA stands ready to support the territory with the resources they need to help its communities before, during and after a disaster,” said FEMA Regional Administrator David Warrington. “Together with the Government of the Virgin Islands, FEMA remains committed to supporting recovery efforts for a more resilient future.”
