Kolonia, Pohnpei: August 19, 2024 – In response to the recent power outages that have affected Pohnpei residents, the Governor’s Office would like to update the public on the ongoing efforts of the Pohnpei Utilities Corporation (PUC) to restore stable power across the island.
On Thursday, August 15th, 2024, PUC experienced the unfortunate loss of three generator units, Cat No. 1, 2, and 4. Through quick action, the technical team was able to repair and restore Cat No. 1 and Cat No. 2 the same day, putting them back into operation. Cat No. 4, which had caught fire, was also repaired, tested this afternoon, and successfully carried up to 800 kW. However, later that evening, Cat No. 1 encountered another issue. As a result, PUC increased the load on Cat No. 4 to maximum capacity, and test runs will continue throughout the night to ensure optimal performance.
Further compounding the challenges, on Sunday, August 18th, 2024, the Kolonia 2 feeder breaker failed in the afternoon, leading to several outages across the island. The load on Kolonia 2 had to be transferred to both the Eastern and Western feeders, leaving only two feeders responsible for carrying the entire island’s power. This put additional strain on the system and reduced overall reliability.
PUC also identified a short circuit on the Western Feeder’s phase “A,” contributing to multiple outages. In situations like this, where a short circuit is not easily located, more line patrolling and isolation of switches are required to narrow down the fault area. This necessary work will likely cause further power interruptions, but it is crucial to solving the underlying issue.
PUC remains committed to restoring reliable power as soon as possible and appreciates the public’s patience. The corporation assures the community that every effort is being made to address these outages swiftly and minimize their impact on residents.
Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
For inquiries, please contact the Pohnpei Utilities Corporation at 320-2374