Total blackout strikes St. Thomas, St. John twice this weekend
Summary
The U.S. Virgin Islands experienced two total blackouts in one weekend, affecting the islands of St. Thomas and St. John. The outages were caused by a power plant losing its ability to generate electricity, highlighting ongoing problems with the territory's aging and damaged power system.Key Facts
- Two complete blackouts hit St. Thomas and St. John within one weekend.
- The outages occurred because a power plant stopped generating electricity.
- St. Thomas has over 42,000 residents; St. John has nearly 4,000 residents.
- The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority struggles to maintain reliable service despite $100 million in federal funding.
- The power system suffers from old equipment, storm damage, and deferred maintenance.
- Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 damaged up to 90% of the territory’s power lines and equipment.
- Renewable energy sources make up about 3% of power generation in the territory.
- Electricity prices in the Virgin Islands are about twice the U.S. national average.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.