Telesource offers to lend Tinian generators to Saipan

Telesource CNMI, Inc. has come up with a novel plan to help alleviate the power crisis on Saipan—import generators from neighboring Tinian.

In a statement from the company’s CEO and president Nidal Z. Zayed, Telesource is proposing to lend one of its diesel generators on Tinian to the CUC power plant in Lower Base. Telesource operates the Tinian power plant.

“Our study shows that a temporary relocation of 10 MW from Tinian to Saipan is very feasible and extremely beneficial to the island of Saipan and the people of the CNMI at large,” he said.

Zayed said that Telesource is prepared to pay for the relocation, commissioning, maintenance, and operation of the engines on Saipan, and for the ultimate relocation of the engines back to Tinian.

“The engines are Telesource’s responsibility under our agreement with CUC and we will assume the responsibility pursuant to our contractual obligation, no matter where the engines are located,” he said.

Zayed added that his company has, on many occasions, expressed its desire and readiness to assist CUC in finding a solution to the power crisis that currently plagues Saipan.

“We applaud the recent and innovative thinking coming from past and present delegation leaders of Tinian whereby the excess generation capacity on the island can be used to assist the people of Saipan,” he said.

The company executive said that Telesource submitted such an idea to the CNMI government as far back as July 17, 2006, but it had never received a reply to its offer.

In that letter addressed to Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez, Telesource proposed to deliver to CUC Saipan within 45 days modular containerized high-speed machines for a term of 18 to 24 months on a rental basis. The machines are said to be 25-percent more fuel efficient than diesel turbines and will include all required transformers and control gear.

One other option being examined—aside from the relocation of diesel generators to Saipan—is the laying down of cables on the ocean bed between Tinian and Saipan, where electrical power can then be shared by both islands.

“If the CUC will seriously consider running a cable from Tinian to Saipan, then Telesource is ready to undertake and pay for a feasibility study to investigate this idea for energy sharing between the islands. In fact, Telesource is ready to expand its generating capacity on Tinian if by doing so we can help alleviate the crisis on Saipan. These innovative solutions represent the change in attitude and thinking required in order to solve our power crises,” said Zayed.

He said Telesource is a local company and that can attract the necessary investment to significantly mitigate the economic and social impact that the CNMI’s power crisis is having on its people.