HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The Guam Power Authority is looking to buy 104 water system diesel (WSD) generators, consisting of 94 generators for priority sites identified in coordination with the Guam Waterworks Authority and 10 portable generators with trailers to serve as backup.
This is to initiate a replacement program for generators at various water system facilities.
According to a proposed GPA resolution for the procurement, most of the WSD generators on Guam are more than 29 years old and nearing the end of their lives, making it difficult to maintain their reliability and availability.
GPA estimates the project will cost $11.4 million, comprising $9.5 million and a 20% contingency. GPA will utilize revenue funds to purchase the generators.
Discussions between GPA and the Consolidated Commission on Utilities at a work session last week Wednesday indicated that funding from an insurance settlement on the Cabras 3 and 4 explosion in 2015 may be used for the purchase. Funding could also come from mitigation funds that might be granted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, although GPA does not have feedback on those funds yet.
GPA is requesting the CCU’s approval for the procurement but will also need to go before the Public Utilities Commission for final approval.
“We want to initiate a replacement program of the diesel generators, which are the backup power supply for the Guam Waterworks water wells, wastewater facilities and water booster stations,” GPA General Manager John Benavente said.
“We were in a process to try and do this around close to the (COVID-19) pandemic, and that threw us way off,” Benavente added.
While the pandemic interrupted efforts to stand up the replacement program, the need for functioning and reliable generators to service the water system was made apparent this year by Typhoon Mawar. The Category 4 storm battered the island in late May, leaving many water wells without power.
Only 60 wells were operating the day after the storm. It took 19 days to get 94 wells running, slightly above the 90-well goal post that the Guam Waterworks Authority outlined to stabilize the water system following Mawar. FEMA and other federal partners assisted in getting generators on island and installing them so that water wells could be brought online while the power grid was being restored.
“Understanding from Mawar and reviewing all of this, our experience, we decided that we need to make an investment on machines that we have,” Benavente said.
The delivery estimates for the generators vary, with some anticipated to arrive more than a year after they are ordered, according to the resolution. Benavente said they are stratifying types of generators in hopes of standardizing certain sizes so that spare parts and disposal materials can be stocked.
“Versus what we have, which is a whole mishmash of different generators at this time,” Benavente added.
Another resolution that GPA is hoping to obtain approval for is an increase in contract expenditures for the supply of diesel fuel for WSD generators. The proposed resolution from the utility states that the initial approved cost of the contract did not include extended generator operations and fuel consumption during Mawar.
Statements made last week Wednesday also indicated that WSD generators are being used for the interruptible load program, which is meant to mitigate load shedding.
Status of wells
The funding source for the fuel matter is the Levelized Energy Adjustment Clause.
At a work session last week Tuesday, GWA General Manager Miguel Bordallo reported that 94 deep wells were active as of the end of October, with one on standby, but 14 wells had grounded motors.
“This has been our headache and challenge post-Mawar,” Bordallo said.
He added later that “the needle” has not moved regarding the number of wells with the grounded motors but not because GWA hasn’t been changing out pumps and motors at water wells.
“We replace and newer ones or different are grounded out. Just this past weekend, for example, we had two large wells go down. … They were critical for us. There were 12 other wells that were on the list to get done. Those two hopped to the front of the line,” Bordallo said.
He added that GWA started replacing inventory for pumps and motors during Mawar, but that has been “pushed to the limit,” and the water utility will need to do an additional procurement.
Guam Power Authority General Manager John Benavente and his team have a work session with the Consolidated Commission on Utilities Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023, at the Gloria B. Nelson Public Service Building in Mangilao.
Guam Power Authority General Manager John Benavente speaks during a Consolidated Commission on Utilities special board meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, at the Gloria B. Nelson Public Service Building in Mangilao.
