The V.I. Water and Power Authority governing board convened Thursday and approved a 536-day contract extension with Haugland VI, the construction firm tapped to provide line crews and equipment in the event of a major hurricane.
WAPA Project Management Director Maxwell George told board members that the no-cost extension covers the territory through the 2026 and 2027 hurricane season. WAPA’s general counsel, Dionne Sinclair, said the decision was made to extend the existing contract because this year’s hurricane season has already started, but the authority intends to put the contracts out to bid eventually.
“We do think the timing is right to go out for an open solicitation,” WAPA Chief Executive Officer Karl Knight said. “We know that there are a lot of other players — Jamaica attracted several contractors in the aftermath of Melissa — and there are other players in the region, and we think the timing is correct to explore who else can do this work and is willing to do this work in the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
The board also approved a resolution allowing the utility’s chief engineer to sign checks before convening a lengthy executive session during which no actions were taken. Afterward, Knight updated board members on the authority’s recent activities, which included a meeting with the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce to discuss grid instability on St. John.
Knight said WAPA is in the midst of procuring 10 megawatts of generation and they have also identified temporary generators to power the territory during the FEMA-funded prudent replacement of the Randolph Harley and Richmond power plants. When asked by WAPA Board Chair Maurice Muia to provide an update on the authority’s advanced metering infrastructure efforts, Knight said that WAPA has 55,000 smart meters “sitting in warehouses right now, just waiting to be deployed.”
“So as soon as we can put those poles up and get connectors going, we’re ready to move,” he said. “I’m going to start in St. John — I think we’re still looking at the August start in St. John. It’s about a 30-day install, and by all accounts, by October we should be done with St. John and ready to test and commission those meters.”
Board elections and a planned discussion of the utility’s water and electric budgets were tabled.
