Chaba cost CUC $2.2M

Supertyphoon Chaba cost the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. $2.2 million in damage.

CUC executive director Lorraine Babauta reported that a huge portion of this amount covered damage to the power division. The water division sustained $76,000 in damage while the wastewater division, $85,000.

According to Babauta, the CUC Grants Office, with the guidance of the assistant comptroller, has been designated to handle documents to be submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for financial recovery.

She added that each division assessment team and safety officers have been provided cameras to further document the damages.

“In the past, CUC received fast reimbursement from FEMA. Now, with our assessment team and safety officers armed with digital cameras, and the Grants Office coordinating with the divisions on the compilation of FEMA assessment forms from the field, we can hope for quicker reimbursement,” Babauta said in her report to the CUC board of directors on Thursday.

She said the strong winds brought by the typhoon caused huge trees to tumble over entire gated water well stations. As part of its recovery efforts, CUC sent crews to water wells in the 13 water regions to clear debris and secure the area for power restoration.

In some facilities where the water gates and valves were old, pieces and parts broke, and blocked water supply to several customers. “It took time to find problems beneath the ground,” Babauta noted.

Heavy rains also flooded wastewater pipelines. Sand, trash, and other debris clogged the pumps and caused the motors to burn out.

On Saipan, CUC lost 124 high-voltage primary spans. At least 38 power poles either snapped or fell down after the soil gave way. Thirty-four transformers blew out and 124 power lines fell.

CUC customers that suffered the most live in Dandan, Fina Sisu, San Vicente, Papago, Kannat Tabla, Kagman, and Kingfisher.

“I want the board to first know that we still have some customers [that we have] yet to inspect and connect. A few customers have yet to fix household damage. We are working to further improve our customer service,” Babauta said.

Gregorio Castro, CUC deputy director for Tinian, said the utility corporation sustained $190,000 in damage on the island.

At least 32 primary poles and five secondary poles fell on Tinian, with 81 spans of downed conductors and 98 damaged drop services. Tinian also had 102 primary poles and five secondary poles out of alignment or leaning.

Rota also incurred major damage on its power distribution and generation systems, and its water lines, said CUC deputy director Charles A. Manglona.

CUC Rota’s field operation was flooded and one air conditioner was blown into one of the rooms.

“The lack of heavy equipment hindered our job. We could not utilize our hugger truck and one of the two bucket trucks because they are broken and need parts that are not in yet,” Manglona said. “However, we were able to complete operations by borrowing a bucket truck from [the Commonwealth Ports Authority], a flatbed truck from the mayor’s office, and rented equipment from various companies.”