WAPA says numerous new meters are on the way

The V.I. Water and Power Authority is working to settle debts to vendors and replace broken meters, but a variety of infrastructure and financial challenges remain to be resolved, according to testimony at Thursday’s meeting of the Public Services Commission.

WAPA’s automated metering infrastructure, or “AMI” system, has suffered from major failures, causing estimated billing, and WAPA is also having to send meter readers out to do manual checks of power usage. FEMA has committed $173.9 million for the territory to remove and replace 58,660 automated meters, but that process will take time, so WAPA is working on temporary solutions, including replacement of some failed units with manual meters. WAPA CEO Karl Knight said 1,100 new meters should be arriving in the territory soon, and more are on the way, but the shipment and installation process takes weeks.

Commissioners expressed concern about WAPA’s failure to approve applicants for the Net Energy Billing program, which is intended to allow new customers the ability to install solar and battery backup systems, and receive credit for supplying power to the grid. According to WAPA, there have been 802 applications, 164 of which passed inspection by the Department of Planning and Natural Resources. WAPA has yet to complete the process, and no new applications have been approved to date. Hundreds of customers are still awaiting DPNR inspections. Commissioner David Hughes said customers are not waiting for approval to install solar systems on their homes, which are already feeding into the grid, and WAPA and DPNR need to find ways to expedite the process and move applications through. He also pointed out that if a lack of meters is the problem, WAPA could have customers submit information already provided by their solar systems, showing how much power they produced.