The Virgin Islands Public Services Commission (PSC) held its Regular Meeting today, Thursday, July 13, 2023. The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) came before the Commission to provide testimony and updates.
The meeting immediately rose into Executive Session, where the Commission discussed legal and personnel matters.
WAPA submitted a petition for an increase in the Water LEAC. Georgetown Consultant Group (GCG) representative Larry Gawlik gave his recommendations on the matter. He recommended that:
The Commission should approve the requested Water LEAC rate of $9.53/kGal, to be applied to the first billing that WAPA can accomplish.
The Commission should require WAPA to file a new WLEAC petition by October 31, 2023. This new petition should include the anticipated Electric costs for the period of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024. The Commission should provide guidance
on whether the WLEAC should continue to be adjusted on an annual basis or on a quarterly basis. WAPA should provide in its filing relevant information regarding any progress on contract issues with Seven Seas to reduce costs.
The Commission should order that with the WLEAC filing at the end of October, WAPA should also provide its current plan for the reduction of water losses and description on the receipt of potential federal funds for replacement of water storage and delivery
system components and the implementation of replacement projects.
After a lengthy discussion on the authority’s failure to comply with the quarterly filing regulations, the commission adopted GCG’s recommendations with some stipulations. The authority has to submit quarterly reports from October 2021 until
now. Upon the commissions’ receipt of these filings, the authority can put the new Water LEAC rate of $$9.53/kGal into place and collect on it.
Other matters that were tabled for the next PSC meeting were:
Longstanding and Unresolved Complaints
BMR Donoe Solar, LLC and BMR Spanish Town, LLC Petition to Enforce PPAs and Motion to intervene as a Third Party in Electric LEAC
Proposed Bifurcation of the Electrical LEAC for Purchased Power and Fuel Components.
Ferryboat – New Review and Setting
All four Commission members (David Hughes, Pedro Williams, Andrew Rutnik, and Raymond Williams) were in attendance. Ex-officio members Senator Marise James and Senator Carla Joseph were excused from the meeting.
Learn more about the VIPSC matters and efforts by visiting the Facebook page and this website.
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