May 30, 2007 — On Wednesday, outgoing Water and Power Authority Executive Director Alberto Bruno-Vega chafed against the Public Services Commission, predicted more private solar-power generation and laid out what he feels should be WAPA’s priorities in the years ahead.
His remarks came during an orientation meeting for new members at the Elizabeth’s at the Palms conference room. During the all-day seminar, a dozen WAPA executives, covering every aspect of the utility’s operations, spoke and gave PowerPoint presentations, giving the new members an overview and a base of knowledge from which to draw.
“With 31 hours and 40 minutes left as director, here’s Alberto Bruno-Vega,” said WAPA spokeswoman Cassandra Dunn.
Bruno-Vega began by taking the PSC to task.
“The PSC intervenes in WAPA’s internal affairs,” he told the new board members. “We won’t discuss that here but in executive session …. The PSC has the authority to control rates. Their view is that by controlling rates they control everything. Historically, PSCs have been created to oversee private utilities. If the PSC focused more on private utilities, maybe we would not have the mess we have with Innovative (Telephone Company) now.”
Bruno-Vega spent only a minute chafing against the PSC, then launched into some predictions and debriefing on the most immediate problems facing the utility.
“We will see the territory shifting more and more away from WAPA and using alternatives to generate some of their own power as the cost of photovoltaic cells goes down over the next few years,” Bruno-Vega predicted. “The shift will hurt the bottom line in the short run, but over time be better for everyone.”
Fiscally, Bruno-Vega told the new board members an increase in the base rate might be necessary to keep WAPA solvent.
“Last year we had a deficit of $27 million,” Bruno-Vega said. “We considered an increase in the base rate then, but when oil prices shot up so high, we abandoned that for the time being.”
Fixing two generators topped his to-do list for the new board.
“Our Pratt and Whitney jet-engine generator has been down over a year, and the St. Thomas waste heat-recovery boiler failed a little while ago,” Bruno-Vega said. “There is a legal process going on regarding the liability for the Pratt and Whitney, and the waste heat boiler will cost four to five million dollars. It’s not pleasant, but you need to know, and you need to find the money as quickly as possible …. Without the Pratt and Whitney engine, we don’t have enough reserve capacity, so I lie awake nights thinking if someone sneezes, we’ll have rolling blackouts.”
Chief Financial Officer Nellon Bowry will step in as interim director while WAPA goes through the process of finding and hiring a permanent replacement for Bruno-Vega, who is retiring and returning to his native Puerto Rico.
Alphonso Franklin, chairman of the board’s Planning and Economic Development Committee, spoke with pride of the time he has spent with WAPA.
“Despite what you would think from radio, we have had hard-working people on this board,” Franklin said. “The six years or more I’ve been involved have been the most rewarding of my public life. We have seen the power of public ownership of utilities. My theme, our mission, is always to bring affordable and reliable electricity and water to our customers.”
Franklin exhorted the board to embrace that mission and to continue to press the V.I. Government to reduce its outstanding utility debts.
The new WAPA governing board members are Donald Francois; Noel Loftus, Robert Mathes (also commissioner of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources) and Juanita Young. Brenda Benjamin has been nominated to the board but has not yet been confirmed. The new members join Chairwoman Cheryl Boynes-Jackson, Secretary Yolander Samuel-Deterville and Chairman of the Planning and Economic Development Committee Alphonso Franklin to complete the board.
Back Talk Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.
