VIPA Is Installing New Air Conditioning Systems at Airports

Two new 400-ton air conditioning chillers have been installed at Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas.

Tenants and travelers at the Cyril E. King Airport (CEKA) on St. Thomas will soon be able to enjoy a cooler airport terminal. The new 400-ton air conditioning chillers purchased by the Port Authority have been installed on the roof of the terminal. They are now being connected to the terminal’s air conditioning system. The King Airport terminal has been warm over the last few days during the connection process. It will take a few days to completely cool the terminal as the new chillers are added to the system. A noticeable improvement is expected by next week.

The new chillers are a permanent fix to the long-standing air conditioning issues at the terminal. They will expand its existing air conditioning system and help to keep the building comfortably cool. The two new chillers cost $1.8 million.

The chillers at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Terminal (HERA) have also been malfunctioning recently, said VIPA Executive Director Carlton Dowe. VIPA plans to purchase two new chillers for the terminal in its Fiscal Year 2020 budget to permanently resolve this problem. In the interim, new compressors for the air conditioners have been ordered and will be installed next week.

During the installation of the compressors, there will be some loss in the system’s cooling capacity, and the air in the HERA terminal may be warm. Cooler temperatures are expected by Saturday, Aug. 17, said Dowe.

Dowe thanks the airports’ tenants and the traveling public for their continued patience as VIPA works diligently to improve its airports. VIPA will continue to keep the public abreast of any new developments.