GPA rushes to restore power after islandwide blackout

Tropical Storm Maria blows past Guam overnight bringing heavy wind and rain. While it wasn't what many might consider a strong disturbance by Guam standards, it was still enough to blackout the entire island. Guam Power Authority crews were out early Thursday morning, working to turn the lights back on.

It was all hands on deck for the power authority. The emergency restoration effort was in full swing when we caught up with a line crew heading toward Yigo, one of the hardest hit by the storm. The crews are in constant contact with GPA dispatch which coordinates where to respond to next.  We followed them first to a neighborhood next to Paradise Estates, where the crew flipped the switch on a feeder line.

 Next, we headed further north to the intersection of Marine Corps Drive and Gayinero Road, where the crew went to restore power to busy traffic light, but first they had to clear away the downed vegetation pulling down the line.

Once done here, the crew is on to the next assignment, working as quickly and safely as possible, because at times the lines are still live.  GPA communications manager Art Perez says crews are dispatched first to areas where there are major circuit outages, telling KUAM News, "Once that circuit is restored they troubleshoot, observe lines to see if there's any vegetation, brownouts, any low voltage conditions they can tend to right away, they can do so while they're on site along with trouble calls we receive via Facebook or via our trouble dispatch line."

GPA is not sure yet what caused the islandwide outage.  Perez says they are still reviewing what may have happened. He declined comment on the wind strength, or what else may have caused the generation system to trip. He says a full explanation should be available next week.  For now, he notes, "Any generator that can be brought on line is online to support the grid and its power requirements. Right now we need to restore the elements of our transmission and distribution system to get the power where it needs to go for residences and businesses."

GPA thanks its customers for their patience, and says to keep the trouble reports coming in.