{"id":29034,"date":"2015-09-25T10:40:49","date_gmt":"2015-09-25T10:40:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/viconsortium.com\/?p=29034"},"modified":"2015-09-25T18:52:33","modified_gmt":"2015-09-25T18:52:33","slug":"wapa-board-approves-13-million-loan-to-fund-automated-metering-smart-grid-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wp.viconsortium.com\/?p=29034","title":{"rendered":"WAPA Board Approves $13 Million Loan To Fund Automated Metering, Smart Grid Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"\"><span class=\"\">ST. THOMAS &#8212; Meeting here Thursday, the Governing Board of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority approved a low-cost financing loan contract with Rural Utilities Service (RUS) that will fund the $13 million <span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/viconsortium.com\/business\/wapa-to-allow-pay-as-you-go-method-automatic-meter-reading-installs-to-be-completed-by-end-of-2015\/\" target=\"_blank\">Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project<\/a><\/span> on a reimbursement basis, a press release WAPA issued late Thursday has made known.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span class=\"\">\u201cThe project will advance and modernize smart grid technology, tools and techniques within WAPA\u2019s distribution network, providing the utility with more flexibility, functionality, interoperability, cyber security, operational efficiency and situational awareness,\u201d according to WAPA Executive Director Hugo V. Hodge, Jr. who added that the projected financing costs are approximately three percent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span class=\"\">The board also authorized two lease agreements which would allow the Authority to lease spaces on St. Croix for the AMI Base stations.\u00a0 One lease, between WAPA and the Department of Property and Procurement, seeks to lease space at Estate Recovery Hill. The second lease, with Tropical Tower Company, Ltd, seeks to lease space at Estate Hermitage. Hodge said the base station at Recovery Hill will provide wireless coverage for all of the smart meters and collectors on the entire eastern end of St. Croix while the base station at Blue Mountain will serve as WAPA\u2019s key data collection site as the majority of the areas with high meter density in St. Croix are mid-island. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span class=\"\">\u201cBoth base stations will also house field area network equipment to provide a redundant communications path between critical sites and allow for the flow of data should accessibility to the fiber optic network be unavailable,\u201d Hodge said. With the board authorization, these lease agreements are now forwarded to the Authority\u2019s Contracts Division for further vetting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span class=\"\">The governing board authorized the sale of surplus transmission and distribution equipment, and for WAPA to utilize the proceeds to pay down on a supply debt to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The surplus equipment was provided to WAPA by FEMA in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo in 1989 to assist in the recovery of the electrical system. The surplus equipment is no longer usable by the Authority\u2019s electrical generation or distribution systems and FEMA has authorized the disposal of the equipment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span class=\"\">Also authorized by the board was the change to an existing contract for paving around the Estate Richmond Pump Station on St. Croix. The change, to extend the contract deadline at no additional cost, allows for varied changes to the scope of work. The contract completion date is now set for October 30, 2015.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span class=\"\">In other action, Hodge was authorized by the governing board to enter into an agreement with First Bank Puerto Rico for an additional $5 million on an overdraft credit facility for a total of $15 million dollars.\u00a0 The line of credit facility will provide additional liquidity, will improve the Authority\u2019s credit history with vendors, and will assist the Authority in remaining current with vendors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span class=\"\">The board also rendered its approval for the renewal of a consignment contract, with Electric Supply of Tampa, for various material and equipment. \u201cThe materials such as cable, poles, transformers and other power transmission equipment is stored in both districts and is available to the Authority to facilitate a speedy recovery from any natural disaster we may experience,\u201d Hodge said. Under terms of the consignment contract, the Authority is not billed for the inventory until the equipment is used.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span class=\"\">Hodge was also authorized to begin a search to lease, build or purchase a building to house all of WAPA\u2019s facilities on St. Thomas. Hodge noted that the Authority is currently renting commercial space to house its various departments. Each space requires WAPA to conduct maintenance to the facilities at a higher cost when compared to the cost of maintaining one location. Additionally, multiple locations create challenges of managing both operations and employees.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span class=\"\">Board members present at the meeting included: Chairman Gerald Groner, Esquire; Vice Chair Juanita Young and Noel Loftus, Commissioners Devon Carrington and Gustav James and Director Marvin Pickering. Members Elizabeth Armstrong and Cheryl Boynes Jackson were excused.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><em>Feature Image:\u00a0Example of a pay as you go machine.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ST. THOMAS &#8212; Meeting here Thursday, the Governing Board of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority approved a low-cost financing loan contract with Rural Utilities Service (RUS) that will fund the $13 million Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project on a reimbursement basis, a press release WAPA issued late Thursday has made known. \u201cThe project [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":21372,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[228,11,191,2474,147],"tags":[3368,3367,83],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>WAPA Board Approves $13 Million Loan To Fund Automated Metering, Smart Grid Projects - V.I. Consortium<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"ST. 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