Recovery efforts were the biggest challenge for CUC in 2019, and this year, the public utility intends to provide better service, among other things, Camacho said.
“We have to look at our dilapidated infrastructure and we need to address old water pipes.”
Camacho said CUC management will work closely with the CUC board in drawing up and implementing long-term plans.
These will include the improvement of CUC’s internal utility software to provide better service to the community and immediately disseminate information to their clients, he added.
CUC is also looking into the possibility of building a new power plant, Camacho said, pointing out that its current plant is already 40 years old.
As for the challenges CUC faced last year, he said these included “huge tasks” when dealing with the water, wastewater, and power systems on Saipan and Tinian.
Addressing these issues was a group effort, Camacho said, adding that the governor’s office played a very important role in moving forward the restoration projects.
Camacho said it is important to have a unified effort when dealing with the devastation caused by a typhoon.
Tinian leaders and officials were very supportive, he said.
“I extend my appreciation to everyone who assisted CUC,” he said, as he also mentioned the support from the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam Power Authority and the Guam Waterworks Authority, all the contractors, and federal authorities, especially the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Camacho said the private sector also played a very critical role in the restoration effort. “It was definitely a unified effort,” he added.
“Of course big storms out here are inevitable and if you look at the record the storms have become more powerful over the last decade. But again, we learn from them, and we just become better and more resilient as we move forward.”
