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CUC to install first concrete poles today
The Commonwealth Utilizes Corp. are focused on restoring public power to the Saipan airport, installing concrete poles at their Chalan Kiya substation as soon as today.
CUC has three auger trucks and a bucket truck to install these concrete poles. They plan to use the concrete poles to “harden the most critical areas” on island. The Chalan Kiya substation and part of the route to the airport is one of these areas.
Acting CUC executive director John Riegel believes this is first time CUC has used concrete poles.
Ninety concrete poles are set to arrive via barge from Guam this week. They are the first batch of 200 concrete poles that will be installed on Saipan.
“We want to get juice to the airport so they can run day and night,” Riegel told Saipan Tribune
Riegel said CUC can install 30 poles per day.
He said 150 wooden poles are also on their way via airlift.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is working with CUC on procuring poles in the hundreds to aid restoration efforts.
Typhoon Soudelor crippled the power grid when it hit more than two weeks ago. Before the arrival of the concrete poles from Guam, CUC’s spare pole stock was fast depleted during restoration efforts.
“We are procuring additional poles,” FEMA federal coordinating officer Stephen DeBlasio separately told Saipan Tribune.
“[The Guam Power Authority] is working on that. FEMA is looking to assist with that and yes, there will be a continuous flow of poles onto this island so it will not be a limiting factor in the reconstruction of the infrastructure out there,” he said.
“…Between 600 and 900 poles, probably, are what we are looking at,” he said.
