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	<title>Crucians In Focus &#187; Energy</title>
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	<description>&#34;We knew the job was dangerous when we took it.&#34;</description>
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		<title>&#8220;Chronic Delinquencies&#8221; By Government Primary Factor In Escalating WAPA Rates</title>
		<link>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2010/07/07/chronic-delinquencies-by-government-primary-factor-in-escalating-wapa-rates/</link>
		<comments>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2010/07/07/chronic-delinquencies-by-government-primary-factor-in-escalating-wapa-rates/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:01:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Website Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cruciansinfocus.com/?p=6512</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The reason your power bill is so high is because the equipment used to generate it is inefficient, out of date and poorly maintained. And the reason those conditions exist is because the Government does not pay its bill. That is the conclusion of a report issued in December, 2009, by the Office of the Inspector General of the US Department of the Interior. The report highlights several categories where deficiencies in equipment and energy strategy planning have resulted in the Virgin Islands having the highest energy prices in the nation. But the primary factor in the VI Water and Power Authority’s  (WAPA) inability to provide cost effective and reliable service is its cash flow deficit caused by Government delinquency, last publicly reported at upwards of $14 million. “The Government’s failure to pay its utility bills has created a domino effect that falls squarely on the shoulders of Virgin Islands power consumers,” the report states. “WAPA is unable to adequately maintain its generating units; units become more inefficient and require much more fuel to produce power, and the LEAC* rate increases.” The chart below shows the fiscal year delinquencies as $11.9 million in 2005; $11.7 million in 2006; $19 million in [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>28</slash:comments>
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		<title>Latest LEAC Increase Request Would Add 3.5% To Electric Bill; 10.4% To Cost Of Water (Updated)</title>
		<link>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2010/06/16/latest-leac-increase-request-would-add-3-5-to-electrice-bill-10-4-to-cost-of-water/</link>
		<comments>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2010/06/16/latest-leac-increase-request-would-add-3-5-to-electrice-bill-10-4-to-cost-of-water/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jun 2010 23:09:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Website Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cruciansinfocus.com/?p=6312</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[(Update: The Virgin Islands Public Services Commission voted Thursday to decrease the electric LEAC approximately 2.7% and to increase the water LEAC 5.2%. The PSC had been expected to consider an increase in both LEAC factors but the decrease in the cost of fuel between the initial request and the present time caused the change in direction on the electricity rate request. Water and Power Authority Executive Director Hugo Hodge presented revised numbers at Thursday’s session reflecting that price shift. More on this story as it develops.) When the Virgin Islands Public Services Commission meets Thursday morning, they will be asked to consider a 3.5% increase in your power bill and a 10.4% hike in your water bill. According to the letter from Water and Power Authority Executive Director Hugo Hodge to Joseph Boschulte, PSC Chairman, the request for the increase in the Levelized Energy Adjustment Clause (LEAC) is due to two factors: 1.) a “modest” increase in fuel prices, from the current $84.68 per barrel, to a forecasted average of $86.32 during the period of July-September and 2.) Continued levels of prior period under recovered fuel costs. So a residential customer using 500 Kwh per month will see their bill [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2010/06/16/latest-leac-increase-request-would-add-3-5-to-electrice-bill-10-4-to-cost-of-water/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>79</slash:comments>
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		<title>Selective Justice: It&#8217;s OK For You To Steal It &#8211; As Long As You Pay It Back</title>
		<link>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2010/06/10/selective-justice-its-ok-for-you-to-steal-it-as-long-as-you-pay-it-back/</link>
		<comments>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2010/06/10/selective-justice-its-ok-for-you-to-steal-it-as-long-as-you-pay-it-back/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:01:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Website Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cruciansinfocus.com/?p=6176</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So the message is that if you can pay it back, it’s ok for you to steal it. What else are we left to conclude after Superior Court Judge Brenda Hollar allowed a St. Thomas convenience store owner to walk free because he paid back more than $340,000 in restitution for power he stole for three of his stores? What are we left to conclude after learning that the Water and Power Authority Executive Director Hugo Hodge, who is going to the Public Services Commission next week to request yet another hike in rates, told the court he had set up an 18-month payment plan so that the store owner Mohammad Muhyiedden would have plenty of time to pay it back? After serving only 47 days in jail, Muhyiedden walked away with three, three-year suspended sentences and an additional $101,000 in fines that he has 90 days to pay. And in his plea for leniency we are told that he cited his contributions to politicians in this Administration among reasons he should be released without further punishment. Think about that the next time someone you know goes to jail for stealing bread to feed their children. Think about that the [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>113</slash:comments>
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		<title>Alpine Energy &#8211; It&#8217;s Not Over Yet</title>
		<link>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/07/alpine-energy-its-not-over-yet/</link>
		<comments>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/07/alpine-energy-its-not-over-yet/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:39:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Website Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alpine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cruciansinfocus.com/?p=1908</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[(Editor&#8217;s Note: The Alpine Power Purchase Agreements for St. Thomas and St. Croix are attached at the end of this document at no charge for your review.) In a meeting that violated the public notice provisions of the Virgin Islands Code, the Virgin Islands Public Services Commission (PSC) voted to approve the agreement between the Alpine Energy Group and the VI Water and Power Authority (WAPA) at the conclusion of public hearings held October 5-6. The PSC&#8217;s action clears one hurdle faced by the company in its quest to manage a &#8220;waste-to-energy&#8221; program on St. Thomas and St. Croix, that would burn a combination of trash and petroleum coke to generate power. The agreement passed despite public concerns about the environmental and financial aspects of the deal. Concerns were further exacerbated by the late notice the public received before the hearings were held and the limited access the public had to review documents relevant to the deal. Documents were available for only a few days prior to the hearings; only during business hours and for a fee at the PSC and only on Saturday morning at select WAPA locations. Crucians In Focus (CIF), on behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands, has challenged the [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<title>PSC Responds to CIF – Update</title>
		<link>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/05/psc-responds-to-cif-%e2%80%93-sort-of/</link>
		<comments>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/05/psc-responds-to-cif-%e2%80%93-sort-of/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:32:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Website Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alpine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cruciansinfocus.com/?p=1849</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[(Editor&#8217;s Note: This article has been updated after further review of the PSC response to our inquiry about the notification of the AEG public hearings going on yesterday and today. CIF is challenging the premise of the PSC response and has updated this post to highlight the discrepancies.) Crucians In Focus (CIF) has received a response to one of the letters sent to the Virgin Islands Public Services Commission (PSC) concerning the upcoming hearings on the Alpine Energy Group (AEG) agreement with the VI Water and Power Authority (WAPA). The letter, from PSC General Counsel Tanisha Bailey-Roka, Esq., is attached in its entirety. However, there are a few points CIF would like to clarify as our reading of the Code differs significantly from the response we have received. In its letter dated October 2, (attached) CIF questioned whether the PSC had lawfully notified the public that hearings on the AEG agreement were taking place on October 5-6, citing the 15-day notice provisions in Title 29 of the Virgin Islands Code.  In its response, the PSC claims the hearings are not subject to Title 29 but to Title 30. We challenge this assertion based on the following review. The Title 30 (attached) says that once [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/05/psc-responds-to-cif-%e2%80%93-sort-of/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>16</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Alpine Agreements &#8211; Are They Valid?</title>
		<link>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/04/alpine-agreements-are-they-valid/</link>
		<comments>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/04/alpine-agreements-are-they-valid/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:10:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Website Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alpine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cruciansinfocus.com/?p=1817</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The entire agreement between Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) and the Alpine Energy Group (AEG) may be invalid. Research into documents related to this project, including the attached testimony of WAPA Executive Director Hugo Hodge, Jr., reveal that the critical Request For Proposal (RFP) criterion for a non-oil based renewable energy provider was not satisfied in the AEG proposal. Further research into the VI Code Title Thirty  provisions reveals that numerous aspects of Alpine’s agreement with WAPA, from the  nonrenewable fuel source (PetCoke) used in the “waste-to-energy” process to the cost structure defined for in the Power Purchase Agreements (PPA’s), are in direct violation of  the Virgin Islands Public Utilities statute for these types of projects. And in a stunning comment in an article in the October 3 edition of the Virgin Islands Daily News, VIPSC Chairman Joseph Boschulte raised even more questions about Alpine’s ability to meet Code provisions, stating “Also, because the facilities will burn petroleum coke along with solid waste, they do not qualify as a renewable energy producer under the V.I. Code, a requirement of being a qualified small power producer. “ Wasn’t that the whole point of this project? The VI Public Services Commission (PSC) [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/04/alpine-agreements-are-they-valid/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Alpine Damage Control? Too Little Too Late</title>
		<link>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/03/alpine-damage-control-too-little-too-late/</link>
		<comments>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/03/alpine-damage-control-too-little-too-late/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:04:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Website Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alpine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cruciansinfocus.com/?p=1770</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It seems that both the Virgin Islands Public Services Commission (PSC) and the Water and Power Authority (WAPA) need a lesson in communication, transparency and the law. Both agencies appear to be deliberately making it difficult, if not impossible, for the public to be prepared for the hastily publicized hearings on the agreements with the Alpine Energy Group (AEG) taking place October 5-6. Both agencies are dancing dangerously close to illegally conducting these hearings and in effect withholding critical information from the Virgin Islands community. And attempts during the past 24 hours to try to rectify the situation have fallen disastrously short. The first issue was the PSC’s violation of the notice period outlined in the Virgin Islands Code pertaining to notice of public hearings. The Code is clear that the notice should be given 15 days prior to the hearing. Crucians In Focus (CIF) has learned that no official notice was distributed until last Tuesday, September 29, four business days before the hearing on St. Croix. The email attached below clearly shows that the official, undated press release from the PSC’s Communication Coordinator, Lorna Nichols, was sent to media and other outlets at 2:27 p.m. last Tuesday, making it nearly impossible [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/03/alpine-damage-control-too-little-too-late/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>CIF To PSC: Not So Fast on Alpine Hearings</title>
		<link>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/02/cif-to-psc-not-so-fast-on-alpine-hearings/</link>
		<comments>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/02/cif-to-psc-not-so-fast-on-alpine-hearings/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:39:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Website Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alpine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cruciansinfocus.com/?p=1704</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[CIF Requests Postponement; Late Notice Raises Legal Red Flags  If there was ever an issue to cause our community to cry out for transparency, this is it. The Virgin Islands Public Services Commission (PSC) will violate the 15-day advance notice provision of the Virgin Islands Code if public hearings on the Alpine Energy Group (AEG) proposal are held as scheduled October 5-6. The purpose of the hearings is to discuss the Power Purchase Agreements (PPA&#8217;s) submitted to the PSC by the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) on behalf of AEG. AEG is proposing to construct and interconnect Petroleum Coke and Refuse Derived Fuel Facilities at the Bovoni Landfill on St. Thomas and the Anguilla Landfill on St. Croix. The proposal for this &#8220;waste to energy&#8221; plan has met stiff public opposition by those who question its cost; its impact on the health of the population exposed to diminished air-quality resulting from the use of PetCoke; the ecological impact of the process; and the method by which the AEG was selected to operate the program. In our opinion, by failing to give the legally mandated notice for these hearings, the PSC is attempting to deny the public sufficient opportunity to address the serious issues [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/10/02/cif-to-psc-not-so-fast-on-alpine-hearings/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>11</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>PSC To Hold Alpine Public Hearings Oct. 5-6</title>
		<link>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/09/30/psc-to-hold-alpine-public-hearings-oct-5-6/</link>
		<comments>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/09/30/psc-to-hold-alpine-public-hearings-oct-5-6/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:53:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Website Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alpine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cruciansinfocus.com/?p=1673</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Virgin Islands Public Services Commission  (PSC) has scheduled public hearings on the controversial  &#8220;waste to energy&#8221; deal with the Alpine Energy Group (AEG) on October 5-6. The PSC may render a decision on the matter as early as October 6, following the end of the second day of hearings. And despite all the discussion this proposal has generated, there&#8217;s no guarantee that members of the public will have an opportunity to voice their views during the session. The PSC hearing notice, attached at the end of this article, states &#8220;Time may be allotted for the public to offer comments during the hearing at the discretion of the Commission.&#8221; The Monday, October 5 hearing is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the V.I. Port Authority Conference Room at the Henry Rohlson Airport, St. Croix; the Tuesday, October 6 hearing is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the PSC Offices in Barbel Plaza, St. Thomas. According to the attached notice, the purpose of the hearings is to discuss the Power Purchase Agreements submitted to the PSC by the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) on behalf of AEG. Alpine is proposing to construct and interconnect two Petroleum Coke and Refuse Derived Fuel Facilities at [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Conflicting Objectives: Energy Plans Fizzle</title>
		<link>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/08/06/conflicting-objectives-energy-plans-fizzle/</link>
		<comments>http://cruciansinfocus.com/2009/08/06/conflicting-objectives-energy-plans-fizzle/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:06:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Website Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Ops]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cruciansinfocus.com/?p=919</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is the tale of two energy entrepreneurs whose journey to free the Virgin Islands from the grip of fossil fuels has stalled at a guardhouse erected by the VI government bureaucracy. The first tale was sent to us by Steffen Larsen, who has built his business, Mitchell-Larsen Studios, on a foundation of alternate energy principles. After increasing frustration with inaction from Government officials, and their apparent reluctance to resolve the conflicting objectives of energy efficiency and WAPA’s profitability, Mr. Larsen paid for and published a full page ad in the July 21st Virgin island Daily News. The story chronicles repeated attempts to garner the attention of those who carry the public responsibility of moving these energy initiatives forward but fail repeatedly because, in his words, “whenever you are a politician, there is no good time to interfere with WAPA.” The second story came to CIF after we posted a story questioning the apparent lack of execution around those projects that could, and should, be funded from the Stimulus Funds appropriated to the VI Department of Energy ($8 million) from President Obama’s American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA). (see Where Oh Where Has The Stimulus Gone?) Dr. Manny da Motta is a [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>123</slash:comments>
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