PSC Questions WAPA’s Intentions as 800+ Net Billing Applications Remain Stalled

PSC Commissioner David Hughes criticizes WAPA's delays, stating, "WAPA doesn't want this program in place. Never has. They've been stalling it out forever, so they can get the power for free," as 802 applications remain stalled in bureaucratic gridlock.

Members of the Public Services Commission learned that a myriad of delays have beset the net energy billing program, meant to encourage Virgin Islanders to adopt small scale solar power generation for homes and businesses. The delays, mainly ascribed to staffing issues at the Department of Planning and Natural Resources as well as at the Water and Power Authority, mean that of the 802 applications currently in the queue for the net billing program, none have received final approval.

“At this point, the Energy Office did not give an explanation for that,” said Jamil Springer, Industrial Engineer for the PSC. “There are about 410 applications awaiting final inspection” from WAPA, with the other half in various earlier stages of the process awaiting review by DPNR. He noted that the Energy Office director is meeting with WAPA's chief executive as well as DPNR's director of building permits, and the parties are “trying to expedite these issues.” The V.I. Energy Office is exploring the use of grants to address the lack of staffing, Mr. Springer said.

It was important to note, said PSC Commissioner David Hughes, that even if the applications cleared the final approval hurdle, WAPA did not have functioning meters on hand to actually operationalize the net billing program in reality. “This program is dead in the water as soon as it gets to WAPA,” he argued. He inquired about the workarounds to this hurdle that were being developed by PSC staff.