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Engine glitch causes Saipan outages
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Posted on Nov 08 2006
Saipan experienced several power outages yesterday after two generators at the primary Lower Base power plant malfunctioned. High winds that blew a tree into an electric line on Navy Hill also caused another outage.
The generator breakdown occurred early Wednesday morning, resulting in two electric grids being turned off at about 5:30am to compensate for the power loss, according to a statement from the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.
“[CUC] routinely advised customers that its engines require immediate and expensive overhauls. Preventative maintenance is performed nightly, and as units fail, repairs are made 24 hours a day. However, the loss generation results in isolated, or rotating, power outages,” the agency said in a statement.
Affected areas included Feeder 7, which supplies electricity from Lower Base north to Tanapag, San Roque, As Matuis and Marpi; and Feeder 2, which powers Garapan and Beach Road to San Jose.
After two hours, the power was restored to the northern grid, with the outage being rotated to a third grid, Feeder 3, on Chalan Pale Arnold (Middle Road), from Gualo Rai south to San Jose, from 7:30am to 10:10am.
As mechanics and electricians made repairs on the two generators, large utility customers such as hotels and garment manufacturing firms were taken out of the grids to supply electricity to the overall island.
In the Navy Hill incident, a windblown tree caused a power outage yesterday at 8:30am, after it downed a high voltage wire. Affected areas were those connected to Feeder 1, which serves the Garapan area, Commonwealth Health Center and Navy Hill. Linemen successfully installed new lines, and the power was restored to Navy Hill at 10:17am.
“Customers are encouraged to conserve energy frequently, and especially when [CUC] announces engine malfunctions,” the CUC statement added. [B][I](Saipan Tribune)[/I][/B]
