In testimony before the PSC board Wednesday evening, both Varlack Ventures and Transportation Services agreed to revert to the regular Red Hook-Cruz Bay ferry schedule. In fact, although the PSC had granted their request to reduce the number of trips, Delrise Varlack informed board members that they had not changed the ferry schedule and were still running all of the scheduled trips.
Following the Public Services Commission’s decision weeks ago to allow the ferry companies to reduce ferry runs between Red Hook and Cruz Bay, PSC board Chair Joseph Boschulte was besieged by calls and e-mails from concerned members of the community. Therefore, the ferry companies were asked by the PSC to reconsider.
Board members heard brief testimony from Monique Sibilly-Hodge, speaking on behalf of the V.I. Department of Tourism, Don Porter on behalf of the St. John Chamber of Commerce, and Lorelei Monsanto on behalf of the St. John Unity Day Group, along with a few St. John residents—all concerned about the effect the reduced schedule will have on the St. John economy.
All who spoke were grateful for the ferry companies agreement to keep the Red Hook-Cruz Bay schedule as is, but also implored the ferries to consider reinstating the runs from Cruz Bay to downtown Charlotte Amalie and vice versa.
The ferry from Cruz Bay to Charlotte Amalie currently departs three times daily – 8:45 a.m., 11:15 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. Departures from Charlotte Amalie to Cruz Bay are 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. According to Varlack, ridership does not warrant adding more runs between Cruz Bay and Charlotte Amalie and would cause hardship on their company, in particular due to problems they are having with their fleet and the fact that they are not receiving enough subsidies from the government.
The board voted on the record in favor of reverting back to the original ferry schedule between Red Hook and Cruz Bay effective immediately.
Turbines at Tutu Park to Begin Turning Soon
In other PSC news, an interconnection agreement between WAPA and Island Wind Power (IWP) has been signed and the board voted Thursday to approve the interconnection agreement, which will enable the two 50-foot turbines at Tutu Park Mall to finally begin turning.
IWP has already entered into a lease purchase agreement with Tutu Park Mall for the turbines, which, once connected to WAPA’s power grid, will generate enough electricity to reduce the mall tenants’ electricity bills.
Although the agreement has been signed, still at issue is the question of who is picking up the tab for the associated costs of the agreement, in particular the attorneys’ fees.
The PSC’s hearing examiner for the case, attorney Rosalie Simmonds Ballentine, determined that IWP should be responsible for all associated costs, excluding WAPA attorney fees. WAPA attorney Lorelei M. Farrington said, “At the end of the day, it’s the ratepayers that pay, and I don’t think it’s fair that a company comes in, asks for interconnection, and the ratepayers pick up the cost for that.”
According to Farrington, a legislative amendment was passed in 2007 to include attorney fees in the cost of PSC hearings. Both WAPA and IWP have requested to see copies of the legislative content and the issue of payment will be determined at a later date. Farrington said, “WAPA has no intent to stop the operation of the windmills even though the cost has not been sorted out. We have the agreement and we intend to honor it. This process of the cost will not disrupt the agreement. You have the willingness of WAPA to get your wind turbines spinning.”
PSC Approves WAPA LEAC Hikes
New LEAC (Levelized Energy Adjustment Clause) factors for the period of Jan. 1 through March 30, 2010 were approved by the PSC board members.
The electric factor will increase from $0.222 per kilowatt hour to $0.268 per kilowatt hour. This will increase the average residential (using 500 kwh) monthly bill from $158.71 to $181.29.
The water factor will also increase: from $8.19/kgal to $9.08/kgal. Overall, this will increase the bill of the residential water customer using 2,400 gallons per month from $65.16 to $70.48.
