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‘CUC Rota unprepared for transformer installation’
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Posted on May 17 2004
Rota Commonwealth Utilities Corp. resident director Charles Manglona faced tough questioning during a board meeting last week after being found out that his office has not prepared the site for the urgent installation of two substation transformers.
The CUC Rota office had asked for the urgent purchase of the transformers back in 2002. Manglona knew about the estimated time of arrival of the much-awaited equipment.
The transformers, which are needed to restore CUC’s normal operations on Rota and stop CUC’s costly purchase of power from the Rota Resort and County Club, reportedly arrived early this month.
During the meeting on Tinian Thursday, CUC authorities said that Manglona had blamed procurement officer Mariano Fajardo.
“They’re pointing at each other but it’s apparent that Manglona should have taken care of it a long time ago. There’s lack of planning and it’s causing CUC thousands of dollars,” a CUC official said.
In his report to the board on May 13, Manglona said the installation may take place in two weeks. He said his office has begun preparing the concrete slab for the transformers.
“In two weeks time, our power division personnel from Saipan will be on island to expedite the installation,” he said.
Manglona said that when this is done, CUC will stop buying power from the Rota resort for Feeder 3, which supplies Sinapalo and airport areas.
“In effect, CUC power plant will be back to normal operation,” he said.
CUC used to pay some $80,000 a month for the purchase of power from the private resort. This was reportedly reduced to almost half in recent months after some negotiations.
Manglona also reported that CUC has fixed the recent breakdown of the main power plant’s transformer. The failure resulted in a 24-hour power outage on Rota last month.
CUC reportedly spent over $17,000 for the purchase of the transformer. As for the newly arrived units, the CUC spent some $105,000.
