The Virgin Island Energy Office Thursday was awarded $566,172 of a projected $1.4 million in Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding to weatherize 430 homes over the next three years.
Bevan Smith Jr. Energy Office director, said “The Virgin Islands Weatherization Assistance Program (VIWAP) will provide services for the elderly (60 years or older), disabled, families with children five years old or younger, and those households with high energy burdens or energy use. VIEO has designated three percent of its weatherization funding to address health and safety issues in the homes, including gas and electrical safety.”
While the stateside weatherization program has been around for 35 years, this is the first time the federal government has funded the program in the Virgin Islands. The V.I. program will focus on energy efficiency in the homes.
While the stateside weatherization program has been around for 35 years, this is the first time the federal government has funded the program in the Virgin Islands. The V.I. program will focus on energy efficiency in the homes.
The VIWAP Grants Program Coordinator Aminah Saleem said, “This program is going to make a big difference in the lives of many elderly and disabled families. The cost of electricity, which is 28 cents a KWH, makes it difficult for many of these families to make ends meet, especially those living on a fixed income. VIWAP is going to focus on making low income homes energy efficient by changing inefficient lighting with CFL, replacing inefficient refrigerators with energy star refrigerators, placing timers on water heaters, and installing low flow shower heads and aerators. There is also going to be a lot of client education in order to change some of the energy wasting habits that we all have.”
VIEO, which is a division of the Governor’s Office, is designating the program VIenergized. Virgin Islanders have traditionally conserved energy because of the high price of electricity. This program will help those who may not have been able to afford it before to go another step forward and invest in energy efficient appliances.
VIWAP plans to VIenergize its first house by Oct. 30. In the first year it plans to service 100 homes on St. Croix, 100 homes on St. Thomas and 38 homes on St. John. The DOE will release an additional $700,000 after the VIWAP plan is shown to be working.
For more information, contact the Energy Office at 773-1082 on St. Croix or 774-3320 on St. Thomas or visit its Web site at www.vienergy.org.