Major upgrade for Rota’s power grid now underway

Customers of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. on Rota can soon expect to have reliable power after the approval of three major projects that will finally fix the longstanding power generation problems on the island.

Using CIP grant funds totaling $3.6 million, CUC will install two 2-megawatt Cummins engines at the Rota power plant, overhaul the Feeder 3 power distribution circuit, and upgrade the voltage in both Feeders 1 and 2 distribution circuits.

In recent months, power disruptions have taxed and tested the patience of Rota customers because of dilapidated power pole hardware, vegetation contacting high voltage power lines, and unreliable power plant engines.

Rota-CUC deputy director Charles Manglona admits that the unreliable power supply has been the norm on the island for many years and in fact has worsened in recent months. The Rota power plant had its last major rehabilitation in 2000.

Manglona blamed the island’s worsening power problem on the government’s cash-flow problem, which has hindered CUC from doing regular maintenance, rehabilitation, and repair work on its equipment.

CUC has only one power plant on Rota, supplying power to customers in Sinapalo and Songsong villages. It has two Cummins engines, a Mitsui engine that needs major overhaul, and a Caterpillar engine, which is only used as an emergency backup. The power plant produces more or less 2.6 megawatts from these units.

CUC expects to ship the two brand-new Cummins engines this week to Rota. Once installed, these engines will increase power production to around 7MW.

This will also allow CUC to overhaul the Mitsui and Caterpillar engines, Manglona said.

Saipan Tribune learned that CUC has about 900 customer accounts on island. During emergency power outages, CUC purchases power from the privately-owned Rota Resort power plant at a rate of 51 cents per kilowatt-hour—an amount that Manglona described as expensive.

Meantime, CUC began fixing last weekend the Feeder 3 power distribution circuits, replacing some of the most deteriorated hardware. This project will be ongoing for the next few months. Six linemen from Saipan-CUC will assist Rota.

Areas covered by the Feeder 3 circuit include portions of districts 1 and 2; San Francisco de Borja Street from Songsong Village to Sinapalo area; and Rota International Airport and Chen Chon.

The upgrade of both Feeders 1 and 2 is also expected to begin once two new bucket trucks arrive late next month. This project will change the current voltage from 4.16 kilovolt to 13.8 kilovolt. However, to complete this upgrade, CUC has to schedule power outages for safety purposes. Manglona said the outage schedule will be known once the bucket trucks arrive.

Feeder 1 includes the power plant, Liyo Housing, district 3 to Teneto; Feeder 2 includes portions of districts 1 and 2 and Annex F.