Composite Pole Replacement

HVI was contracted by WAPA to replace a significant population of poles on both the islands of St. Croix and St. Thomas following Hurricanes Irma and Maria. HVI replaced approximately 5,000 composite poles on St. Croix and approximately 2,600 poles on St. Thomas. The new composite poles, which are a combination of fiberglass and resin, are stronger, more resilient to severe weather, and offer a substantially longer asset life. This project required careful planning and a relentless focus on safety given the continuous, multi-year presence throughout the streets of these two islands. HVI refined its best practices for working within the dense local communities. The scale of the program allowed for focus both on hiring local residents to perform the work and subcontract local firms to bolster the diversity of the project team. HVI’s scope of work for this project included: removing old or damaged wooden poles; installing new composite poles; guying and anchoring; replacing spliced conductors and upgrading selected conductors; installation of trip savers, cutouts, grounds, and transformers; tree trimming; traffic control, including flagging; and restoring and cleanup around new pole bases.