Previous Story
CUC: All feeders are now up
80 percent of wells powered up
The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. has energized all eight main power lines—technically called feeders—on Saipan and currently powers 80 percent of their 145 water wells, according to acting CUC executive director John Riegel yesterday.
Kiya 4, the last main power line—down and unpowered since Typhoon Soudelor caused the power and distribution grid to collapse—is back up, confirmed Riegel.
He said it was energized on Sunday.
“All feeders are energized,” Riegel told Saipan Tribune yesterday.
Kiya 4 runs from the Chalan Kiya substation down to Atkins Kroll on Beach Road and heads south to the post office in Chalan Kanoa.
CUC also energized yesterday the lateral going down to Talofo from Feeder 4, Riegel said, as CUC continues restoration work from the main lines into the laterals of the island.
Meanwhile, CUC has 80 percent of its wells on line power. They have 145 water wells.
“We are completely off [Federal Emergency Management Agency] generators” for CUC water and sewer facilities since last week Monday, Riegel said. FEMA supplied generators to assist the CNMI in typhoon recovery.
Up next, Riegel said, is “rigorous leak detection” in areas like Koblerville, San Antonio, Kagman, and As Matuis, as they aim to bring back most of the island to 24-hour water.
In the last couple of days, CUC has brought 24-hour water to San Antonio and San Jose, Riegel said.
He advised the public to call the CUC call center to notify them of any leaks. That number is 664-4282.
They need to bring power to about 24 more wells, Riegel said. Right now, among others, they have 24-hour water in parts of Garapan, As Teo, Capital Hill, San Vicente, Dandan Homestead, lower Navy Hill (where the hospital is located), Lower Base, Papago, As Gonno, Koblerville, and Afetnas.
