HUD releases final $45 million for WAPA propane terminal acquisition

ST. CROIX — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved the remaining $45 million in Community Development Block Grant Mitigation funding, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. announced Tuesday.

“This approval from HUD is not just a win for our administration’s energy agenda but a monumental step toward securing a reliable and economically viable energy source for Virgin Islanders,” Bryan stated in a Government House press release. “Acquiring these propane terminals is crucial for our energy independence and resilience.”

The propane acquisition began to take shape last year. Leadership from WAPA and members of Bryan’s financial team went before the 35th Legislature in April 2023 and requested authorization to open a $150 million line of credit, which would allow WAPA to extricate from its fraught contract with the fuel supplier while acquiring its propane infrastructure.