Terlaje: More funding needed to complete CHC underground power system

Additional funding is needed to complete the design phase of the project to bury cable lines that supply power to the hospital, according to acting Commonwealth Utilities Corp. executive director Betty G. Terlaje on Thursday.

In her executive director’s report during the CUC board’s regular meeting, Terlaje said CUC has asked for additional funding from the 404 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to complete the design phase of the underground power project of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.

“So we’ve been meeting with the CIP [Capital Improvement Projects] Office to get that funding,” Terlaje said. She did not specify the amount needed.

As for CUC Tinian’s Underground Power Project for critical loads, Terlaje disclosed that there was a pre-bid meeting two weeks ago. She said a mandatory site inspection was done that same day of the meeting.

“I think it’s moving along now and hopefully we’ll construct soon, Terlaje said.

CUC plans to bury sections of the power system on Saipan and Tinian to protect them from being damaged by strong typhoons.

In 2019, then-CUC executive director Gary P. Camacho said the plan to install an underground cable from Power Plant 1 in Lower Base to the Commonwealth Health Center will cost approximately $23 million.

Camacho said the plan to put an underground cable from CUC’s substation in Chalan Kiya to the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport has an estimated cost of $32 million.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is funding the study on the costs and feasibility of the projects.

On Tinian, he said, the plan to have an underground power cable from the power plant to the Tinian Health Center has an estimated cost of $2 million.