The chairman of the House Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communications, Victor B. Hocog, said he is not satisfied with the performance of the plant’s four engines.
Engine #8, he added, has been experiencing “vibrations.”
Joining Hocog in the tour were Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, R-Saipan, Vice Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero, R-Saipan, House Floor Leader Joseph James N. Camacho, R-Saipan, Rep. Diego T. Benavente, R-Saipan, and Fred Guerrero, Camacho’s staffer.
Power plant manager Almondo Santos served as the guide of the legislators. CUC Executive Director Antonio Muna was “not available.”
Gregorio T. Cruz Jr. of the Taotao Tano group has said that the foundation of engine #8 was cracked when he toured the plant on April 14.
“Some engines are not working at their best,” said Hocog, Ind.-Rota.
But he said the power plant crew will put “additional two engines on track” by the end of July. These are engines #1 and 5.
Operating on Monday were engines #2, 4, and two other 13-megawatt Mitsubishi generators, which were producing only between 8 and 10 megawatts of power, Hocog said.
Engine #6 was “cannibalized” in order to run engine #4, he added.
According to the June 5 CUC power generation status report, engine #4 has been “down due to crankpin seizure” since July 16, 2005.
Hocog said the power plant engines are also having problems with their overheating radiators and cooling system.
“Looks like everything got worse,” said Cruz in a separate interview yesterday.
He is hoping that plant tour of the lawmakers will not be tainted with “politics.”
Cruz insists that the $5 million contract between CUC and DCM is “flawed,” and that the Guam-based firm has already “defaulted” on its obligations to the agency.
