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A delegation of Virgin Islands energy officials, led by Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, attended the first Caribbean Energy Security Summit held Monday in Washington, DC. There, Vice President Joe Biden praised V.I. Water and Power Authority’s (WAPA) renewable energy efforts and its propane conversion project, which is expected to reduce customers’ energy costs when the program goes on line at the end of the first quarter of 2015.

The summit, organized by the U.S. State Department and hosted by Biden, is a two-day meeting of energy officials from both the U.S. and Canada, as well as several Caribbean heads of state.

Congresswoman Plaskett said she is honored to lead the Virgin Islands delegation and has already began talks with U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and other Energy Department officials on ways to promote energy security in the Virgin Islands, as well as the Caribbean Basin, according to information released from Plaskett’s office.

“I am honored to be leading the U.S. Virgin Islands Delegation at this important Summit. Our seat at this table ensures our voice will be a critical addition to the discussion. In my conversation with Secretary Moniz, I underscored the energy challenges facing our islands. I am encouraged by the willingness of all the Heads of Delegation to work together and build a roadmap for cooperation to promote energy security in the Caribbean,” Plaskett said.

During his remarks, Biden highlighted WAPA’s renewable energy undertakings and the utility’s upcoming roll out of its propane conversion project, which will mark WAPA’s switch to propane, a cleaner energy source.

“Some people out there think that it can’t be done in the Caribbean,” Biden began, “They are dead wrong. They are dead wrong.”

“Not only can it be done,” the vice president continued, “it is being done right now with some of your neighbors. Look at what the U.S. Virgin Islands are doing. They’re combining renewable energy with propane to lower costs and secure their supply, saving rate payers 30 percent on electric bills, while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the fossil fuel fleet by 12 percent.

“You know solar photovoltaic facilities at the Cyril E. King Airport, where the port authority is saving nearly $1,000 a day. That’s real money,” Biden said.

While work continues at WAPA’s propane conversion facility on St. Croix, damning reports have recently surfaced of unfair hiring practices and worksite favoritism of imported workers over local workers, as well as hazardous and unsanitary conditions at the site. One former worker, who say he was unjustly let go, expressed his fear of “bloodshed” taking place, as tensions at the site remain high.

Multiple requests by VI Consortium for comment from WAPA about conditions at the site have remained unfulfilled.

During the summit’s welcome reception Sunday evening, Plaskett emphasized her willingness to collaborate with the heads of state of the Caribbean nations in attendance, and said she would work to bring awareness to their energy concerns in Congress, as well as to those of her constituents in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where residential customers pay $0.39/kWh and commercial customers pay $0.42/kWh, some of the highest rates in the world.

“I spoke with several heads of state of our neighboring Caribbean islands Sunday evening, and reiterated my support for a new coalition in promoting our energy security in the region, and vowed to be a voice for not only our U.S. Virgin Islands here in Washington, but for the Caribbean region as well. As a result of those discussions, the U.S. Virgin Islands will have a seat at the table at an upcoming meeting of CARICOM leaders,” Plaskett said.

The Virgin Islands’ delegation to the first Energy Security Summit includes Congresswoman Plaskett, her staff, and the newly appointed Director of the Virgin Islands Energy Office Elmo Roebuck.

The Summit continues Tuesday in Washington, DC.