Submarine power cables connecting St. Thomas’ power plant to St. John weren’t to blame for the weekend power outage, Water and Power Authority officials said at the Government House press briefing Monday, which also covered St. Croix Agrifest news and changes to off-duty policing.

Some less-than-cheerful Love City residents responded to the Friday and Saturday blackout with calls for an on-island electrical plant. But Shanell Spencer, WAPA’s director of communications, said redundancies for the Pillsbury Sound cable would have kicked into action if it failed. The problem was elsewhere, she said.

Exactly where the problem that knocked out feeders 7E and 9E started was not clear, Spencer said.

WAPA crews working overnight found damage to many different pieces of equipment. What part failed first, and which parts were damaged because of the outage, were the subject of investigation, she said.

“Multiple issues were identified, including faults in the switch gear. Submarine cable and the terrestrial infrastructure between the cable landing site, as well as at the substation, were not the source of the outage.

“It’s also important to note that there is redundancy of the submarine cable. So in the event that something did occur, where the source of the outage was at that submarine cable, there is additional backup for submarine cables to provide power to our customers on St. John,” Spencer said.

Lights and air conditioners came back on at 6:37 p.m. Saturday, she said, but the current will need to be turned off again in the near future as permanent repairs are made. Customers would be given advance notice.

“We will also do our absolute best to minimize disruption to our customers as we know that it impacts businesses, schools, and homes,” Spencer said. “We understand the impact outages have on daily life and appreciate the St. John community’s patience, and we know we ask for it so often. And so, yes, we’re asking for it again as we complete both near term repairs and long term resilience upgrades.”

Those upgrades include the first phase of construction for the St. John microgrid.

Microgrid engineering, sizing, equipment selection, interconnection planning, and an environmental review have been completed, she said. A battery energy storage system and emergency generation construction were next.

“Together, these systems are designed to support the entire island during outages,” she said.

The battery system would be able to independently provide power for up to two hours, allowing generators to come online, Spencer said.

Agrifest

Marthious Clavier, of the Virgin Islands Agriculture Department, said the territory’s 54th Annual Agriculture and Food Fair, also known as Agrifest, would be Feb. 14-16 at St. Croix’s Rudolph Schulterbrandt Agricultural Complex.

Themed “Agriculture and Technology—an ideal mix in 2026,” the event will feature more than 100 food vendors and 48 farmers, along with cultural presentations, live entertainment, youth activities, and a robots challenge aligned with the fair’s agriculture-and-technology theme.

Executive Order

Government House Director of Communications Richard Motta said Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. issued an executive order clarifying when and how Virgin Islands Police Department officers could moonlight as security guards.

Executive Order No. 544-2026 allows off-duty officers to take assignments and use government-issued equipment and vehicles. The order outlines reimbursement requirements, as well as reporting obligations for any loss, damage, theft, or misuse. Off-duty officers in uniform will be required to use body-worn cameras.

“Just as important, the order includes real consequences for violations, including progressive discipline up to termination for serious or egregious misconduct, and it directs that alleged violations be investigated through Virgin Islands Police Department’s internal affairs with additional investigative authority as appropriate,” Motta said.

The order was not prompted by any one incident, he said, but simply meant to clarify the rules.

“The governor’s message with this executive order is straightforward: We are supporting lawful, authorized, off-duty work that strengthens public safety and supports our officers while tightening standards, strengthening transparency, and protecting the people of this territory. Public safety works best when expectations are clear, accountability is real, and trust is earned every day,” he said.

Just as important, Motta said, the order includes real consequences for violations, including progressive discipline up to termination for serious or egregious misconduct, and it directs alleged violations be investigated through VIPD Internal Affairs.

Captain Mulligans pub erupted in cheers Sunday afternoon when hometown hero, Miss Coco, appeared on the TV. The first British Virgin Islands dog to play in the annual Puppy Bowl, Coco promptly kicked a field goal.

Coco, an island dog mix rescued by the Humane Society of BVI, entered the game late in the second quarter and immediately made an impact for Team Ruff.

“The whole place was going crazy loud, people shouting, Go Coco!” shelter manager Vijay Bissoondutt said Monday.

Coco wrestled briefly with Kentucky Humane Society’s three-legged mixed-breed Wynonna before hind-legging a ball over the goal line.

The Puppy Bowl has aired before the other big game since 2003, raising awareness for animal shelters and helping pets in need find permanent homes. Team Fluff wore blue bandannas; Team Ruff wore orange.

Carrying a toy across the goal line is seven points; kicking or nosing a toy across is three. Team Fluff won Puppy Bowl XXII, 73-69 — but more attention was put on tugs of war, chasing each other, and the camera’s view from under a glass-bottom water dish.

Bissoondutt and Coco were featured in a “pup-close and personal” segment during Sunday’s broadcast.

“Coco came into the shelter at roughly six weeks old with three other siblings,” Bissoondutt said in the broadcast. Sick and malnourished, it took care and attention to bring around the energetic, happy-go-lucky dog on TV.

“Coco, man, she’s a very happy dog. She’s like a ping-pong ball — just keep bouncing and bouncing,” he said.

The Discovery Channel produced a hype video for Coco’s chance at the Pupularity Contest. She lost, however, to Rhett, the tiny basset hound.

Bissoondutt had never heard of Puppy Bowl XXII before its producers reached out, and getting Coco to the big show was no small task.

The Humane Society of BVI didn’t have any puppies older than six months and weighing less than 20 pounds, as Warner Bros. Discovery producers required. Coconut retrievers, as island dogs are sometimes called, tend to grow fast, Bissoondutt said. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, he found a way to get four-month-old Coco to a foster family in Long Island, New York, two months before filming.

All too often, Bissoondutt arrives at work to find a box of abandoned puppies or kittens shivering in fear. Older dogs are sometimes left tied to the door or thrown over the fence, he said.

“I have 75 dogs looking for homes. Why shop when you can adopt?” he said.

Bissoondutt started at the shelter as a teenage volunteer in 1997, then took over the management duties in 2013 when the previous manager died.

“I was the only one there who knew what was happening. If I had not taken it up we might not have a shelter,” he said Monday.

Hurricane Irma thrashed the shelter in 2017. After lengthy repairs to the old building, the shelter moved to a new, larger facility in Road Town’s Johnston’s Ghut, on Purcell Road behind the Riteway.

The shelter now has two paid employees but no government funding, relying on donations. Food, pet shampoo, and linens for bathing and bedding are always needed, he said.

“We depend on the broader community, the greater society to keep the doors open,” Bissoondutt said.

In 2022, Queen Elizabeth recognized Bissoondutt’s dedication and awarded him the prestigious Most Excellent Order of the British Empire membership.