FEMA has allocated $1.02 billion to improve critical infrastructure in the U.S. Virgin Islands, marking a key step in the territory’s recovery from the impact of hurricanes Irma and Maria. The funding will support repairing and replacing communication towers and upgrading power plants on St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John, officials announced.
“This funding signals a fresh start for the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority and the Bureau of Information Technology,” said Adrienne L. Williams-Octalien, director of the Virgin Islands Office of Disaster Recovery. “It strengthens communication systems and energy resilience, better equipping the territory to face future weather events and threats.”
The allocation includes $161.5 million for BIT to restore damaged communication towers and enhance 911 emergency capabilities. On the energy front, $205.9 million will support the Randolph Harley Power Plant on St. Thomas, including replacing two generation units and repairing seven others. St. Croix’s Richmond Power Plant will receive $661 million to replace eight turbine generators, transformers, and critical substation infrastructure, according to the press release.
Governor Albert Bryan Jr. highlighted the broader significance of the investment: “This $1.02 billion FEMA commitment is about more than replacing infrastructure. It’s about transformation—creating modern, resilient systems that reflect the determination of Virgin Islanders to build a stronger future.”
FEMA’s funding comes through the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, which allows for modernizing critical facilities beyond their pre-disaster condition. Kristen A. Hodge, director of FEMA’s USVI Recovery Office, emphasized the agency’s ongoing partnership with local authorities, saying, “These investments reaffirm FEMA’s dedication to a more resilient Virgin Islands.”
Since the 2017 hurricanes, FEMA has contributed $16 billion to recovery efforts, including $1.07 billion for hazard mitigation projects to break the cycle of disaster damage and repair, the press release stated.
