The Grid
Infrastructure, Power & Public Works
A running record of what's happening with WAPA, the Department of Public Works, waste management, healthcare, education, housing, public safety, and ports across the territory — outages, road projects, hospital crises, school rebuilds, and the legislative oversight tied to each.
What is The Grid?
The Grid is what keeps the territory running — power lines, roads, hospitals, schools, housing, and the systems that hold daily life together. It's also where Virgin Islanders feel the consequences of policy most directly: a blackout during a heatwave, a pothole that swallows a tire, a hospital that can't pay its vendors. These systems rarely make headlines the way an election or a scandal does, yet they shape daily life more consistently than almost anything else government does.
We built this page because that information is usually scattered across press releases, legislative hearings, and local news — easy to miss unless you're already paying close attention. The Grid pulls it into one place: what's broken, what's being fixed, what's been funded, and what lawmakers are doing about it. No spin, just a record you can check before you decide who to believe.
Numbers Behind the Headlines.
Age of WAPA's Unit 15 generator at the center of recent St. Thomas/St. John outages — 16 years past its expected lifespan
Solid waste disposed annually across the territory's landfills — both Bovoni and Anguilla are now at capacity
GERS pension fund ratio as of Sept. 2024 — 14 cents in assets for every dollar owed to government retirees
VIPD overtime payments in FY2024 — with 62 vacant funded positions and 9 of the 15 highest-paid GVI employees being VIPD officers
Rolling Blackouts and Generation Failures Across St. Thomas & St. John
Repeated districtwide outages have hit St. Thomas and St. John through the spring of 2026, driven by aging generators (Unit 15, installed in 1980, and Unit 23) failing faster than they can be repaired. WAPA has leaned on rotational outages and emergency Wärtsilä generators to keep the system stable, with mixed results — a Saturday-night mechanical fault on Unit 27 in late May triggered a full districtwide blackout that stretched into Sunday afternoon load-shedding. WAPA CEO Karl Knight has described the situation as a "crisis, not an emergency," citing "multiple compounding failures" rather than a single root cause.
Legislature Presses WAPA on Aging Infrastructure
The 36th Legislature, sitting as a Committee of the Whole, spent hours questioning WAPA officials, federal recovery partners, and regulators after weeks of rolling blackouts. Public Services Commission Executive Director Sandra Satori testified that the outages were "entirely foreseeable and preventable," pointing to a decade-old management audit and integrated resource plan that warned WAPA to modernize its generation fleet — a roadmap she said was only partially implemented. Senators also pressed WAPA on a deliberately severed submarine cable to St. John, which WAPA confirmed was "deliberately cut with a mechanical device," not an electrical fault; the case has been referred to the FBI.
Emergency Backup Generation Ordered for St. John
St. John currently relies entirely on a single submarine transmission link from St. Thomas, leaving it exposed whenever that line fails — a vulnerability flagged since a 2019 proposal for standby generators and battery storage was shelved. WAPA is now "concluding the acquisition" of 10 megawatts of standby generation for the island after board members rejected an earlier proposal to buy lightly used units. The new generators were tested in late May and are being prepared for shipment from Wisconsin; WAPA says it has already applied for installation permits.
Wärtsilä Maintenance Contract Dispute
WAPA's Phase 2 Wärtsilä generating units are now online after extended delays tied to warranty issues, CEO Karl Knight told the WAPA board. However, the utility fell behind on payments for maintenance of its original generators, making Wärtsilä reluctant to sign a new maintenance agreement covering the newer units as well. Knight said an "agreement in principle" has been reached on contract terms, with "some payment issues" still being resolved; in the meantime, WAPA staff are handling maintenance internally, including sourcing spare parts that would otherwise be covered under contract.
Residents Protest Outages at the Legislature and Government House
Frustrated residents, organized in part by the Virgin Islands Progressive Movement, have staged repeated protests outside both the Legislature and Government House over the outages — including one occasion where an unannounced outage hit the feeder powering the Legislature complex itself, forcing a budget committee hearing into recess when the building's backup generator overheated. Reliability has become a defining issue in the 2026 gubernatorial race, with outages disrupting at least one campaign event livestream during the spring.
Frederiksted Town Road Improvements — Final Phase
DPW has begun mobilization for the final phase of road reconstruction in Frederiksted, covering King Street, Queen Street, Strand Street, and portions of Fisher Street. The project, carried out by contractor Marco St. Croix Inc., includes milling deteriorated roadway surfaces, rebuilding road sections, and full repaving. Governor Bryan has framed the work as part of a broader push to revitalize the territory's historic towns alongside similar efforts in Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, and Cruz Bay.
East Airport Intersection Rehabilitation, St. Thomas
Asphalt rehabilitation at the East Airport intersection on Melvin Evans Highway (Route 66) includes shoulder grading for drainage, milling of deteriorated asphalt, full resurfacing, and restriping. The intersection was fully closed to traffic during construction, with detours routed through the Industrial Park and Diageo intersections via Routes 663 and 669 to Route 70. DPW directed airport-bound traffic to use West Airport Road (Route 64) for the duration.
Bovoni Paving — Benny Stephens Drive, Bovoni Hill, Nadir Terrace
DPW has scheduled paving across several high-traffic Bovoni roads, including sections of Benburin "Benny" Stephens Drive, Bovoni Hill, and Nadir Terrace (also known as Lima Road). Commissioner Derek Gabriel acknowledged the area's heavy traffic and asked motorists and pedestrians to use caution, noting residents should expect temporary impacts to on-street parking and property access during construction.
Charlotte Amalie Downtown Drainage Rehabilitation
A long-awaited drainage rehabilitation project covering 11 locations throughout historic downtown Charlotte Amalie was completed in its final stages by early December 2025. Commissioner Gabriel called it one of the most impactful projects in the area, touching "just about our entire historic downtown" with major drainage replacement, repairs, and roadway rehabilitation.
Clifton Hill Connector Road, St. Croix
The Clifton Hill Connector Road project is roughly 70% complete, with contractor Grace Civil, LLC pouring concrete for curbs and gutters after finishing drainage improvements throughout the project area.
St. Croix Paving — Diamond Ruby & Frederiksted Permitting
Road paving in Diamond Ruby is set to begin once Liberty VI completes ongoing underground utility work in the area. Separately, Frederiksted street improvements covering King, Queen, Strand, and Fisher Streets were pending final permits as of late 2025 before moving into the construction phase now underway.
Ham's Bluff Bridge Replacement, St. Croix
Temporary repairs were made to the bridge leading to the Ham's Bluff area ahead of festival activities to ensure safe access. A full replacement of the bridge is planned as a larger project slated to begin in early 2026.
Both Territorial Landfills at Capacity
VIWMA Executive Director told lawmakers that both the Anguilla Landfill (St. Croix) and Bovoni Landfill (St. Thomas) are at capacity, and that the agency's wastewater collection systems are collapsing in parallel, all without a stable funding structure. The Authority disposes of roughly 600 tons of waste per day, or nearly 200,000 tons annually, across the territory's landfill network.
$46 Million Grant for Anguilla Landfill Closure & Expansion
VIWMA has secured a $46 million grant that will fund the closure of three-quarters of the Anguilla Landfill while expanding the remaining portion — adding an estimated five additional years of operational capacity while a permanent new landfill site is designed. Public engagement on possible locations for that new site was set to begin in January 2026. The project is also tied to CDBG-DR Tranche 2 funding and a federal consent decree deadline, with agencies working to finish by a September 2026 grant expiration.
Bovoni Landfill Expansion Requires Acquiring Adjacent Property
VIWMA's executive director told lawmakers that "Bovoni has reached a point where additional surrounding property must be acquired to ensure safe operations," as the agency pursues a phased closure and expansion plan for the St. Thomas landfill in parallel with the Anguilla project on St. Croix.
Wastewater System Failures "Every Half a Day"
VIWMA's executive director described the territory's wastewater system as facing "an equally urgent set of risks" as the landfills, estimating a wastewater crisis occurs roughly every twelve hours due to severely deteriorated infrastructure that is "long past its useful life." He said frequent blockages and failures can only be resolved through a comprehensive system overhaul, not piecemeal repairs.
Territory-Wide Waste Reduction Plan with UVI
VIWMA has partnered with the University of the Virgin Islands to develop an integrated sustainable materials management plan aimed at reducing the overall volume of waste reaching the territory's landfills, covering strategic waste diversion, resource recovery, and infrastructure planning. The plan was expected to be completed by April 2026. Separately, the agency has asked lawmakers to authorize burning vegetative storm debris using an air curtain burner, which it says can reduce such debris by up to 98% while producing usable biochar.
Recurring Bovoni Landfill Service Changes
VIWMA has made several temporary operational changes at the Bovoni Landfill in 2026, including a temporary closure and a separate adjustment to opening hours intended to "enhance service delivery." The Anguilla Landfill on St. Croix also underwent a brief closure and reopening in March 2026. Residents are encouraged to check VIWMA's site directly before hauling waste, since landfill hours shift with little notice during periods of operational strain.
Both Major Hospitals Facing Severe Financial Crisis
Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix owes vendors approximately $22.5 million, and government entities owe the hospital $5.7 million in return. Liquidity problems have delayed the hospital's own payments to GERS and income taxes for employees. The crisis prompted the Legislature to schedule an emergency session after more than 100 physicians across the territory signed letters describing near-total breakdowns in surgical capacity, including a JFL period with just one anesthesiologist on staff.
New JFL Hospital Demolition and Reconstruction to Begin 2026
After years of delay from FEMA's federal environmental review process, demolition and reconstruction of Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix is set to begin in early 2026, with a four-to-five-year completion timeline. The new facility is designed for disaster resilience, including on-site power generation with redundant generators carrying a 30-day fuel, water, and food supply. The project is part of a broader effort to modernize healthcare facilities territory-wide, including Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas and a new clinic on St. John.
Government Pension System (GERS) Facing Insolvency Risk
The Government Employees' Retirement System, which covers nearly 19,000 territorial workers including teachers and public safety personnel, had only 14.1 cents in assets for every dollar of liabilities as of September 30, 2024 — with $552 million in market-value assets against $3.91 billion in actuarial liabilities. That's an improvement from the 9.8% funded ratio reported in 2021, but still far short of the 80% ratio that would place the system in "good" standing. GERS CEO Angel Dawson described the fund's status as having moved from "Critical" to "Serious." From October 2024 through July 2025, the system paid out $215 million in benefits to 8,780 retirees, with new retirees being added at a pace of roughly 240 per year. GERS is projected to enter negative cash flow in 2026, meaning benefit payouts will exceed incoming contributions.
$384.8 Million FEMA Commitment for School Rebuilding
FEMA has committed nearly $385 million to demolish and replace schools damaged by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, including the full replacement of three elementary schools on St. Croix (Lew Muckle, Eulalie Rivera, and Juanita Gardine) and one on St. Thomas (Leonard Dober), plus repairs to a school lunch warehouse. The Department of Education has emphasized the funding covers more than construction — also land acquisition, project management, demolition, and design.
$319 Million Central High School Reconstruction Breaks Ground
The Virgin Islands Department of Education broke ground on the reconstruction of St. Croix Central High School, a $319 million project led by contractor Consigli/Benton Joint Venture. Work began with asbestos abatement and demolition of the gymnasium. The project is one of several simultaneous school groundbreakings the department has marked in recent weeks as part of the broader Rebuild USVI initiative.
Senators Press FEMA Over Slow Pace of School Rebuilding
Lawmakers have criticized FEMA's documentation review process for delaying school reconstruction projects, with senators arguing the agency moves at "a horse and buggy pace" on infrastructure critical to students and teachers. Department of Education officials have described the burden of having to repeatedly revalidate previously approved projects whenever FEMA raises new documentation questions, adding significant time to already lengthy rebuilding timelines.
VI Slice Homeownership Program Reopens With Added Funding
Governor Bryan announced an additional $4 million commitment to the VI Slice Moderate-Income Homeownership Program, which provides gap financing of up to $200,000 to help first-time buyers who earn too much for traditional housing assistance but still struggle to afford a home. As of a recent legislative update, the program had received 117 applications, approved 87, and disbursed $8.6 million in gap financing alongside more than $25 million in primary lender financing — though funding rounds have repeatedly been exhausted within roughly 60 days of reopening due to strong demand.
$1.86 Billion in Federal Disaster Recovery Housing Funds
HUD has awarded the territory more than $1.86 billion in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding following Hurricanes Irma and Maria, with at least 70% required to benefit low-to-moderate income residents. Active projects include redevelopment at D. Hamilton Jackson Terrace on St. Croix, Estate Donoe on St. Thomas, and Lovenlund Phase II on St. John, alongside an "Own a Lot, Build a Home" program for residents who already own land but need construction financing.
Lawmakers Debate Redirecting Dormant Homeowner Funds
The Legislature advanced a bill to redirect $4 million from a homeownership program that Senator Kurt Vialet said had spent $0 over five years while the money sat unused. The proposed amendment would split the funds toward VI Slice, a cistern and slab repair grant program, and direct assistance for Williams Delight residents to purchase the rental homes they currently occupy — though VIHFA's interim director opposed the move, warning it could cut off future buyers from the existing loan fund.
VIPD Officer Shortage Limits Patrol Coverage — With a $73M Budget
Police officials told lawmakers the department lacks enough officers to restore widespread foot patrols without pulling personnel from specialized investigative and school security units. A 2025 staffing shortage tied to a wave of officer sick calls forced VIPD to activate contingency protocols during a stretch of high-profile violent crimes. Commissioner Mario Brooks submitted a proposed FY2026 budget of $73,339,167 — with 62 funded but vacant positions. Of that budget, $40.3 million covers personnel and $15.4 million covers fringe benefits. The department spent $24.1 million on overtime alone in FY2024, with 9 of the 15 highest-paid territorial government employees being VIPD officers. An additional $3 million comes from the Tourism Revolving Fund. The department continues working toward compliance with its federal consent decree.
VIPD Expands Surveillance Technology Amid Privacy Questions
The department has completed phase two of a public safety camera expansion and launched a pilot of license plate readers from Flock Safety, a company that has drawn scrutiny elsewhere over data leaks. Lawmakers questioned officials on privacy safeguards during a hearing, while police said the technology is still being evaluated for performance and investigative value before any full-scale rollout.
Public-Private Partnership to Redevelop Both Airports
The Virgin Islands Port Authority is pursuing a public-private partnership (P3) to modernize both the Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas and the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix. In 2024, VIPA's board selected SkyCity to develop the King Airport under a long-term agreement. A three-level parking structure was added at King Airport in 2025, and an extensive runway resurfacing project began in early 2026 following nightly closures for pavement boring operations.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Terminal Deal Signed
VIPA signed agreements with Royal Caribbean Group and Cruise Terminals International intended to transform the territory's cruise industry, marked by the arrival of Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas at the Austin "Babe" Monsanto Marine Terminal on St. Thomas. Separately, VIPA and shipping company Crowley finalized a long-term lease extending Crowley's cargo operations at the Crown Bay terminal for at least 20 more years, building on more than 40 years of existing operations in the territory.