We set a record!

The Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico have the largest electrical blackouts in US history. Second-largest blackout in the world. At least it is not JUST us, the bulk of the record setting outage is on Puerto Rico.

The research firm, the Rhodium Group, conducted a study of the magnitude of the electrical blackout in Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands and how it compares to other blackouts around the world. They studied all the blackouts around the world that are not part of some war experience. They used government statistics, academic literature, primary news reports compile worldwide data electrical blackouts and we win!
We had 3.4 billion customer hours without electricity. That’s a record for the United States. It’s almost comical that the second-largest blackout in US history was caused by Hurricane Georges! We got that blackout too! Among the top ten blackouts are Hurricanes Irma, and Hugo. In fact, we got blacked out five of the top 10 blackouts in America. We are like blackout KINGS!

The really good news is that on a world scale, we came in second. The only larger blackout history than our Maria was when Typhon Haiyan hit the Philippines and produced 6.1 billion hours of lost power.
The researchers also say that power is back for some 96% Puerto Rico while 53,000 customers are still in the dark.
News of our record electrical blackouts provoked a response in Washington. US Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts called the power failures “out of control.” And called on the Trump administration to take on responsibility for the outages. Other government officials are concerned because many people who left the islands after the storms are living in the states in evacuee hotels. FEMA won’t pay that bill forever.
I am sure everyone joins me in wishing our Water and Power Authority all possible support. We bear no ill will! We wish nothing but success to our Water and Power Authority. We REALLY appreciate all the effort that has been made by the staff. The people of WAPA are stars. Gems!
Yet, there is nothing we would all like quite as much as reliable electricity. We keep hearing that various things being done by WAPA will turn the corner on reliability. At one point the propane was going to solve the reliability problem. At another point rented generators would make a difference. The storms of course wreaked havoc with the distribution system. And we are all looking forward to those new small Wartsilla generators to provide more reliability.
It really would be smart to bury our utility lines. Imagine having a hurricane raging all around us and all the electricity still on! Imagine having electricity the day after the storm! Imagine having electricity without having periodic blackouts.
Whatever you have, a generator, backup batteries, battery flashlight, candles, that’s the “WAPA Tax” you pay for not having a reliable electricity.

f