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CPA: Some $422K in initial Soudelor damage estimate
Typhoon Soudelor damage-related expenses totaled some $422,000 for the CNMI’s airport and seaports, according to a budget expense breakdown from the Commonwealth Ports Authority.
The expenses were discussed in a CPA board meeting last week. They cover up to Sept. 29, and were described as preliminary.
For fuel for airport operations, costs totaled $285,829.26, according to the budget spreadsheet. The fuel went to the airport’s main generator, ARRF tower, and emergency generators after the storm.
“For this portion, providing the fuel inclusive of the towers, we hope to get 90 percent reimbursement for our expenses,” CPA lawyer Robert Torres told the board, referring to a 90-to-10 federal to local cost-share.
Airport manager Ed Mendiola said the 1.8-megawatt generators they have “eats close to 80 to 85 gallons per hour.” Fuel costs covered four generators.
CPA was energized on Sept. 2, according to Mendiola.
Typhoon Soudelor hit Saipan on Aug 2.
Mendiola said fuel purchases continued up to Sept. 9 because of occasional power outages.
For the seaport, total costs reached $61,222.10 for supplies, repairs, and fuel costs for building generators.
About $30,000 went to a contractor for dock inspection and survey services.
“Saipan Stevedore’s 40-foot containers flew straight across over to the Mobil plant and some fuel leaked out. We see that Miss Saipan has tried to permanently fix itself to the Delta dock but the emergency matters here were to undertake an assessment of the dock,” Torres said last week, describing some of the damage left by the storm at the port.
For other airport operations, total costs were at $75,411.08, for administrative, repairs, and supplies costs, among others. Some $60,827.95 of this went to a contractor, APEC, for emergency procurement and services.
