GPA seeking participation in managing power supply

YIGO CT: The Yigo Combustion Turbine plant sits idle Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. Guam Power Authority officials will meet with members of the Guam Hotel and Restaurant Association as GPA seeks participation in an interruptible load program to mitigate demand on the grid in exchange for credits. David Castro/The Guam Daily Post

Guam Power Authority officials will meet with members of the Guam Hotel and Restaurant Association as GPA seeks participation in an interruptible load program.

The utility is eyeing a September launch of a significant power conservation campaign as island residents continue to experience rotating outages due to limited generation capacity.

GPA announced Wednesday that emergency one-hour rotating outages would take place that afternoon because two of the island's four base load units – MEC 9 and Cabras 2 – were down for emergency repairs. In addition, a third base load unit, MEC 8, was producing a limited amount of power due to high liner temperatures on a cylinder.

Base load units are essentially the main generators that power the island. MEC 9 was taken offline Wednesday morning for leak repairs and was expected to return to service by that night.

Cabras 2 has been offline since Aug. 24 due to a boiler tube leak. The unit is anticipated to come back online Friday, but Cabras 2 has been repeatedly experiencing issues that have resulted in load shedding.

About four feeders had load shedding for about 30 minutes due to limited generation capacity, according to GPA.

Wednesday's emergency notice was in addition to the ongoing notice for potential nightly outages through Friday, which was an extension of a notice covering the weekend.

The notices and schedules for outages are found on the utility's Facebook page.

In addition to the base load units, Yigo CT, a major combustion turbine generator, is offline for repairs due to damage from Typhoon Mawar.

Load shedding is how GPA maintains grid stability when customer demand for energy exceeds the capacity to generate power. For residents, this means rotating outages, normally lasting about an hour.

Addressing capacity shortfalls

GPA does have a plan to address capacity shortfalls over the next six to nine months. It includes getting Yigo CT back online by November or December, as well as increasing capacity output for other units. The power utility needs to augment or increase capacity until the new power plant in Ukudu is completed, which has been delayed due to damage from Mawar.

Part of GPA's plan also includes soliciting participation in an interruptible load program, which is when customers use their own generators to ease demand on the power grid in exchange for credits.

The power utility sent out 187 letters to large power customers last week requesting participation in the program for the next six months. GPA said it already is partnered with the Guam International Airport Authority, the Port Authority of Guam and Guam Regional Medical City.

The utility told The Guam Daily Post on Monday that a few had responded to its call for participation in the program, including GRMC and the airport and port authorities, as well as IP&E Holdings LLC and PHR Properties.

"GPA has an upcoming meeting with GHRA to work with other large hotels to participate in this campaign," the utility said Monday.

GPA continues to ask customers to conserve power when there are notices for potential load shedding.

The utility is preparing to launch an outreach program in September, asking customers to help reduce load shedding through actionable energy conservation measures, such as shutting off water heaters during peak hours and shutting off more air conditioners during emergency load shedding periods.

Poll results are published every Monday in The Guam Daily Post.

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