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Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority Celebrates Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for Power Plant Project

The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 17, celebrating the successful completion of its Randolph Harley Power Plant Phase II New Generation Wärtsilä Project in the St. Thomas/St. John district.

This initiative, funded by a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant, "marks a pivotal step in WAPA’s mission to enhance energy efficiency, reliability, and sustainability across the U.S. Virgin Islands," it said.

The Phase II Wärtsilä project features the integration of four new, highly efficient Wärtsilä engines that will significantly reduce operational costs and contribute to long-term savings for the community.

The Wärtsilä engines, which run on a dual-fuel system, are designed to primarily operate on liquid propane gas but can also run exclusively on light fuel oil diesel if needed. These engines will deliver a total output of 36 MW and have the capacity to power 55% of the St. Thomas/St. John district. 

"With the new Wärtsilä engines up and running, we’re moving forward to bring more reliable and affordable power to our people. This is a proud moment for WAPA, and it shows our commitment to making things better for the Virgin Islands," said Karl Knight, CEO and Executive Director of WAPA. "Heartfelt thanks to our partners and the whole WAPA family for making this vision a reality." 

The Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority has overseen the Wärtsilä project from its inception and has partnered with WAPA to overcome project-related challenges and ensure timely delivery. 

 

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