News release provided by Guam Power Authority
GPA is announcing the release of the potential outage schedule updated for November as a proactive measure to allow customers to be able to plan around possible 1-hr rotating outages. While the schedule has been posted, it’s important to note that it doesn’t necessarily mean that power will go out during these times. The schedule serves as a precautionary notice to provide customers with advance notice in case power supply cannot meet customer demand due to ongoing maintenance or repairs.
“While the October outage schedule was posted, it’s important to clarify that the schedule does not guarantee power outages. In fact, in October, just 11 of the 31 days required load shedding with partial feeders out and limited duration as needed to address generation shortfalls, in line with our commitment to minimizing disruptions to our customers. Shifting solar power, the Interruptible Load Program and general conservation have had positive impacts in mitigating the need to implement outages. GPA encourages continued energy conservation during peak hours,” stated General Manager, John Benavente, P.E.
GPA encourages customers to conserve power between 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., including refraining from using unnecessary air conditioning units and turning off electric water heaters immediately before and during peak demand hours. This conservation effort can significantly reduce energy demand and the need for load shedding. For more information, customers can visit our Beat the Peak campaign page on our website and social media platforms.
Additionally, it is important to note that some outages may not be related to generation shortfalls but could result from issues such as downed or damaged power lines, auto-pole collisions, brown treesnake interference, vegetation, or transformer problems.
Power Generation Status Update
• Dededo Combustion Turbine (CT) 1 & 2 units will be taken offline (one at a time) starting today through Monday, November 6th for Preventative Maintenance.
• Piti 7 CT Preventative Maintenance: The Piti 7 Combustion Turbine (CT) unit will be temporarily taken offline once the Dededo CT units return to service. This downtime is essential for boosting its capacity from 22 MW to 31 MW, improving its long-term efficiency.
• Yigo Combustion Turbine Repairs: The 20 MW Yigo Combustion Turbine generator rotor and other damaged parts, due to Typhoon Mawar, have been sent off-island for repairs. We are targeting a return to service for the Yigo CT unit in February 2024.
• Solar PV Facilities: Mangilao and Dandan solar PV facilities contribute significantly to energy production during daylight hours. However, cloudy or rainy days reduce their output, impacting the power grid.
GPA currently benefits from approximately 16 MW of energy contributed by large customers participating through the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) and the U.S. Navy. These customers voluntarily switch to their standby generators during peak demand periods, helping to minimize outages for other customers.
GPA also notes that September through November pose high energy demand, coupled with limited capacity, leading to more frequent outages. GPA’s General Manager has emphasized the vulnerability over the next several months, highlighting the need to complete repairs on the Yigo 20 MW Combustion Turbine Unit and secure interim energy capacity.
We appreciate the patience and understanding of our community during these challenging times. For the most up-to-date outage information, please follow our social media pages and visit our website.
