Guam is one step closer to bringing its newest power plant fully online.  The Guam Power Authority says the Ukudu Power Plant began reliability testing Sunday, the final and most critical step before entering commercial operation.

The testing requires the plant to run continuously for seven days under real-world conditions to ensure it can safely and consistently carry Guam’s electrical load. GPA crews will remain fully staffed and on standby throughout the process, ready to respond if any issues arise.

GPA general manager John Benavente says the testing phase is designed to identify and correct any problems before the plant is officially commissioned, adding that adjustments during this stage are normal for a project of this size.

While GPA says isolated outages are possible, widespread or prolonged disruptions are not expected.

Once commissioned, the Ukudu plant is expected to replace aging generators, reduce fuel consumption by more than 900,000 barrels a year, and improve long-term system reliability and affordability for ratepayers.