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CUC: 4-hour power outage on Thursday
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Posted on Jan 17 2006
A power outage lasting four hours will occur tomorrow morning until noontime on Beach Road from Garapan to San Jose, as part of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s maintenance work.
The CUC disclosed yesterday that it would replace two rapidly deteriorating power poles—one located south of Horiguchi Building in Garapan and another one near Joeten Motors—beginning 8:30am Thursday.
CUC spokesperson Pamela Mathis said a temporary power outage would occur in the process of replacing the poles to ensure the maintenance workers’ safety. She said the workers would have to remove and secure high voltage wires from the old poles.
“During the outage, CUC crews will use augers to dig six feet in removing the structurally weak poles. Once the old poles are taken out, another six-foot dig is required close by where the new poles are installed,” she said. “In fact, the new poles are erected so close to the power grid that there is no method and no room for men to work near these energized lines without grave danger. This is why new poles cannot be installed without a power outage.”
Mathis said power and traffic lights on Beach Road just south of Horiguchi Building and continuing south to the vicinity of Microl Corp. in San Jose would be off beginning 8:30am tomorrow. She added, however, that power would be turned back on after noon.
The CUC said the new poles have equipment that secures the high voltage wires well.
“Before the electric lines are transferred to the new poles, linemen check them by hand for damage and make necessary repairs. Because the men work with electric lines through the entire process, the power is turned off to protect them, the motorists who drive by, and the property en route,” Mathis said.
