SAIPAN — Commonwealth Utilities Corporation officials said Sunday they have topped off fuel tanks at all generators, pre-positioned repair crews and have no plans to proactively shut down power or water services ahead of Typhoon Sinlaku, pushing back on rumors circulating in the community.
CUC Executive Director Kevin Watson said the utility has been working in coordination with CNMI government and federal agencies to prepare for the storm’s arrival.
“There was a rumor started somewhere that we were going to be proactive and shut down a power plant,” Watson said. “That’s not true. We’re keeping it on, keeping it powered.”
Watson said fuel tanks at all generators have been filled to capacity to maximize the number of days of backup power available, and that emergency generators have been topped off with diesel to keep water flowing and wastewater lift stations operational during the storm. He said a crew has been prepared to deploy to Rota if the storm track shifts further south.
CUC has also stockpiled concrete poles to replace any damaged wooden poles, Watson said, and power transmission and distribution staff are prepared for post-storm repair work.
CFO Betty Terlaje said the utility has an established relationship with its Guam counterparts at Guam Power Authority and Guam Waterworks Authority and that both sides have agreed to assist each other depending on where the storm makes its greatest impact.
“We actually communicated with Guam already and assured them that we’re storm ready, prepared to give them the assistance they need,” Terlaje said. “And it was like, well, if anything changes, we’re ready for you too, Saipan.”
Power Generation Manager Richard Cano said crews at the power plant will work to restore service as quickly as possible after any outage but will not bring the system back online until it is safe to do so on the distribution side.
Renewable Energy Manager Jun Baclay said approximately 500 net metering customers on Saipan should disconnect their solar systems from the CUC grid by turning off their main breakers before the storm. He said inverters automatically shut down when CUC power is lost, but that disconnecting the main breaker is required as a safety measure to protect linemen working to restore service. Customers who need assistance with the process can call CUC for guidance.
Watson urged residents to conserve water during and after the storm, noting that if customers immediately begin filling tanks after service is restored, water may not reach those at the end of the distribution line. He asked that residents wait a few hours after service resumes before filling storage tanks.
After the storm, CUC asked the public to keep emergency lines clear for utility emergencies only. Residents should report downed lines, sparking transformers or other hazards to CUC at 670-664-4282 and should not touch any line on the ground regardless of whether it appears live.
CUC’s operational command center during storm restoration will be based at the Oleai facility, where line and water crews will stage and coordinate repairs. The utility said it will report progress to HSEM, FEMA and the Department of Energy on restoration status throughout the event.
