💧 Water and Power · St. John, VI
WAPA received $113.4 million in FEMA funding for St. John electrical upgrades
The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority said on January 25, 2021, that it had been awarded $113,409,904.55 in federal funding for electrical system work on St. John.
According to the authority, the FEMA funding was designated for continued installation of composite utility poles and for undergrounding electrical equipment on the island.
WAPA said 966 composite poles had been installed on St. John, or about 49% of the planned total of 1,960 poles.
The authority also said the first phase of undergrounding Feeder 7E was expected to begin within weeks of the announcement, starting at the existing substation and continuing toward Cruz Bay. It said project plans had been approved, permits were in place, and a notice to proceed had been issued to the contractor.
The release said more than 90% of St. John's electric system was destroyed in the 2017 hurricanes and that electrical service was restored 51 days after Hurricane Irma made landfall.
WAPA also said St. John was slated to receive two standby generators, which were in the design stage as of January 25, 2021.