U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS – The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority’s (“WAPA” or “Authority”) Governing Board met today to approve multiple action items and received an update from CEO/Executive Director Andrew Smith on several notable accomplishments the Authority has recently achieved. 

Among the highlights, CEO/Executive Director Smith noted the Authority has had no safety incidents in the last month, as the Authority continues to prioritize safety first for its employees.  In other accolades, the Authority was also the recipient of the CIGNA Bronze Healthy Workforce Designation, underscoring the Authority’s commitment to encouraging employees to maintain healthy lifestyles.   Lastly, CEO Smith updated the Governing Board on the Clifton Hill water project that is near completion at 90%.  While St. Croix is currently facing specific water challenges, CEO Smith reassured the Governing Board and community that updating decades old water infrastructure is a process that can involve scheduled and unexpected outages, but the update will ultimately result in a more reliable and higher quality water system for the island.

Board approvals today for the Planning and Economic Development Committee included a time increase to extend the Midland Underground Project SC-23-20 expiration date from February 28, 2023, to May 1, 2023, to allow for manufacturing and shipment delays associated with materials.  A time increase was also approved for the Cruz Bay Underground Project SC-39-21 from February 15, 2023, to August 15, 2023, to permit contractors to effectively close out all documentation and allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) adequate time for processing.

Under Finance and Audit Committee items, BDO’s Contract SC-02-21 was amended to include additional fees of $115,000 to fund extra costs associated with the completion of the Authority’s FY2020 Financial Audit and Single Audit, and to extend the contract term to 4/30/2023 to allow the completion of the Authority's FY2020 Single Audit.  Lastly, the Governing Board approved the Authority to enter a contract with DeNoxDirect for urea supply for the Randolph Harley Power Plant (RHPP) New Generation Wartsila Engine and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Project.  The contract term is two years, with an option to extend for up to one additional year under the same terms and conditions, at a cost not to exceed $6.5 million per year.  The urea supply is needed to comply with air emission control standards specified in the RHPP Air Emission Construction Permit.  The new Engines and BESS system will benefit the Authority by providing efficient power generation and stability for the island of St. Thomas.

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