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CUC hires eight new workers
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Posted on Aug 28 2008
The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. hired eight additional nonresident workers yesterday, allowing CUC to bring engine 6 in Power Plant 1 back on line.
On Tuesday, CUC was down to just one engine, powering the island with less than 20 megawatts. CUC executive director Antonio Muña said the additional workers were able to help make engine 6 operational again.
The CUC maintenance staff has always been limited in how many hours they can work each day, Muña said. The additional workers “will allow for greater production and quicker time to bring the engines back up,” he said.
He said it’s important that employees working within the plants are able to focus and pay careful attention to their work.
“They’re working in 110 degree temperatures,” he said of the employees. “It’s a hot environment. It’s difficult work.”
As of yesterday afternoon, engines 3 and 6 were working at Power Plant 1, while engines 2 and 8 were undergoing repairs, Muña said.
Earlier this week, Muña said engine 8 would be down indefinitely until new parts were purchased, but yesterday he said the new employees that were hired looked at the engine and found available parts that could be used to repair it.
Altogether, CUC was producing approximately 24 megawatts of power yesterday afternoon.
Also, Muña said, the Saipan International Airport is now receiving 24-hour power. Last week, the airport was without power for three hours, delaying several flights.
It’s important visitors to Saipan are comfortable, Muña said, so CUC is focusing on ensuring the airport has power around the clock, as well as ensuring that the Garapan tourist district has power in the mid-afternoon and evening.
Yesterday, Muña returned from a trip to Guam to visit with their power plant manager to learn about their operating system.
“Essentially, we talked about their operation in respect to [privatization], and how that has improved production to use as a model for our long-term vision,” he said.
Muña said CUC is still gathering information on privatizing CUC and figuring out what is in the best interests of the CNMI.
“It’s not just about power production…[but] also affordability…those two are tied together,” he added.
