OREANDA-NEWS. The LPG conversion of the St Thomas power plant in the US Virgin Islands could be completed as early as the first quarter of 2016 pending permit approval from the US Army Corps of Engineers, the islands' Water and Power Authority (WAPA) said this month.

The project at the St Thomas plant still requires approval for the marine work, including mooring for a VLGC, from the Corps of Engineers.

At the end of October Vitol delivered propane via VLGC to storage systems at the newly converted power plant at St Croix. The process of fully loading that storage system is underway, WAPA said this month. Vitol will deliver LPG to both plants under the terms of a seven-year 250,000 t/yr contract.

The project was originally slated to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2014, but several permitting delays have pushed back the timeline.