The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority on July 24 said that the remobilization of the Wärtsilä Phase 2 New Generation project at the Randolph Harley Power Plant and the completion of the final battery module installation for a battery energy storage system.
The next phases of this project include testing and commissioning the BESS system, finalizing light fuel oil commissioning, continuing Liquified Petroleum Gas interconnection activities, and performing the final commissioning of the plant.
The project “marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to enhance the reliability and efficiency of power generation for the St. Thomas/St. John district. The remobilization phase includes critical steps to bring the new Wärtsilä units online, which will substantially improve our energy infrastructure across the district,” the public power utility said.
Once these commissioning activities are complete, WAPA will proceed with load and performance tests.
“These tests are crucial to ensure that the plant operates efficiently and safely under various load conditions, verifying that all systems function as designed. The commissioning process in electrical power plants involves thorough inspections and testing to confirm that all components are installed correctly, operate safely, and meet performance specifications,” it said.
Additional details on the megawatt/megawatthour size of the BESS were not immediately available.
