GPA prepares to restart leak

The generator problems which started a week ago, resulting in a brief power outage the morning of Aug. 12 and one-hour rolling blackouts Saturday evening, are nearly resolved, according to the Guam Power Authority.

The 43-megawatt Piti 8 generator broke Aug. 11, and the 45-megawatt Cabras 2 generator broke Aug. 12, significantly reducing the power agency's ability to generate power.

"The Piti 8 unit, the issue of the tripping and all of that has been resolved," Benavente said, adding the generator as of Thursday morning had been running at full capacity for several hours without issue.

Benavente provided an update during Thursday morning's work session of the Consolidated Commission on Utilities.

Metal panel sidings are missing on the exterior of the building that houses power-producing generators at the Guam Power Authority's Cabras Power Plant in Piti on Feb. 7, 2022.

Cabras 2 repairs are nearly complete, but it's unclear how long the generator will run because of persistent boiler tube leaks, according to Benavente.

Cabras 2 was shut down twice in May because of boiler tube leaks.

The PUC in March approved GPA's request to spend $4.9 million to overhaul the Cabras 2 generator later this year. The generator needs to last until at least late 2024, when it is scheduled to be decommissioned.

"They’re pressurizing the (Cabras 2) boiler up to 1,800 – 1,900 psi, checking everything around to see if there's any water leaks," Benavente said. "If not, they will fire the boiler, then 12 hours later we’ll get it online."

"We took a lot of careful time to really try and identify what's causing this unit (to break down)," he said. "Every time we put it on the line, about two, three or four days later, ruptured tubes. We’ve cut out a lot of tubes… If it stays on for a few days or a week, then I think it will pretty much stay for a while."

Benavente said Piti 9, which was shut down at the end of July, should be operating again by early September, at which time it will be burning ultra-low-sulfur diesel instead of fuel oil.

Although GPA plans to retire Cabras 1 and Cabras 2 in 2024, after the new 198-megawatt Ukkudu power plant starts operating, it will continue to operate the Piti 8 and Piti 9 generators.

Benavente said GPA in recent years has been investing money in the two generators, with plans to use them for another 10 to 20 years.

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Reach reporter Steve Limtiaco at

[email protected].

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