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Muna: CUC to use Rydlyme stockpile
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Posted on Aug 15 2008
The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. will soon use some of its vast Rydlyme stockpile, according to CUC executive director Anthony Muna.
The stockpile of Rydlyme, a descaling agent, is a key item in the federal indictment unsealed this week against Lt. Gov. Timothy Villagomez, Commerce Secretary James Santos, his wife Joaquina Santos—Villagomez’s sister—and former CUC director Anthony Guerrero.
Most of the more than 8,000 gallons of the chemical CUC purchased through two companies the Santos’ controlled was never used and remains in a warehouse on Rota.
Villagomez and the Santos’ pleaded not guilty Monday to three felony counts of fraud, conspiracy and theft involving federal funds.
In an interview Thursday, Muna said a dose of Rydlyme could soon resolve overheating problems seen in a generator at Power Plant I, which has developed scale deposits.
“We’re going to use the chemical to flush the system out,” Muna said. “If it eliminates the overheating issue, that will confirm the value of the product.”
CUC could use the rest of the stockpile for similar needs over time, Muna added, saying that the product has value.
“We are using the chemical,” he said. “In terms of its use, it has some value to it. Over the years of CUC purchasing this chemical, it never moved towards implementing it but there is some value to the use of the chemical.”
For example, he said, the stockpile on Rota was put there to address problems with the power engines there.
“In that regard, CUC did not purchase something that at the end of the day was not going to be utilized at some point in time.”
CUC’s stockpile is less of a concern than the sole-source nature of the contract, Muna added.
