Feds to ship in hundreds of power poles
Federal authorities are planning to ship several hundred pieces of power poles to Saipan as part of disaster relief aid.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency Power Task Force is providing assistance to the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.
Typhoon Soudelor crippled CUC’s power generation and distribution systems when it tore through Saipan over two weeks ago.
According to the latest situational report from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Power Task Force is coordinating the airlift of 150 “Class One 45-foot poles.
“Equal amounts of 35-foot poles and 40-foot poles also will be lifted as logistics are determined,” DOE states.
“[FEMA] will acquire and deliver an additional 800 poles via barge.”
As of yesterday, CUC’s pole supply on island remains depleted as supply is gone due to restoration efforts.
The latest count of damaged power poles is at 355. It was previously 276.
There are 195 damaged transformers and 137 damaged meters on Saipan, according to the latest CUC statistics from last week.
Thank you uncle Sam!
Interesting, “airlift” hundreds of power poles. Assuming, C5 Galaxy aircraft. I wonder what the 25% share to the NMI Govt for those deliveries will be?
The rest by barge, FROM the US mainland?
Too funny! It would have been cheaper for the NMI Govt. to pay their CUC obligations so CUC could operate and stock spares.
Well at least CUC will have spares when the Feds take all into receivership.
It does not spell out the transformers and meters etc. But that will also be interesting. Best they send all prepaid meters so they ca start to install them on the Govt. agency buildings. You got to love it.
It is so unfortunate that all the people have to suffer because of these ignorant politicians. (But ten again, they all were elected and kept in power due to the majority, so those that voted for them get (suffer) what they voted for.
Buenas,
Uncle Sam put the C-17 and the C-5M Super Galaxy to the test, who would out perform the other.
Si Yu’us Ma’ase
I would bet on the C-5M myself. Just saying..