“It’s obvious that you cannot approach the problem in the same way that they were created,” Utu Abe Malae said.
CUC, for example, must avoid spending a lot of money on consultants by tapping the available local talent, especially mid-level workers like technicians, supervisors and foremen who play a critical role in maintenance and operation, said the former chief executive officer of the American Samoa Power Authority.
“If you find there’s still a gap, the next thing you do is get help from the people in the Pacific,” he said, citing CUC’s hiring of Wallon Young as deputy director for power generation.
Young is also a former American Samoa Power Authority official.
When asked about the challenges facing CUC this year, Malae said he is looking forward to get the maintenance program going and ensure compliance with the federal stipulated orders as well as other regulatory requirements.
“That’s very important,” he added.
He noted that CUC was able to improve its power generation in one year.
“That’s a tremendous accomplishment,” he said.
CUC will now focus on its transmission and distribution system, he added.
Asked about the Aggreko disconnection from CUC grid today, Malae said he doesn’t see any problem because the situation has been assessed by experts.
But he said he will still look into the problems of CUC’s power plants, which he will visit today.
“Is it important for me to gain the credibility and confidence of our customers as well as other stakeholders like the federal and local governments. When people think of CUC I want them to think about it in a positive way.”
