Concrete Utility Poles Installed on Saipan

SAIPAN – Concrete poles are being installed around Saipan, in a joint mutual aid effort between the Guam Power Authority (GPA) and the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC). These poles will assist in power restoration for the island and will be more resilient and disaster resistant.

The 90 concrete poles arrived on Saturday August 22^nd and through today, most were installed throughout the island, including along the feeder to the airport. An additional 110 concrete poles are scheduled to be delivered within the next few days which will continue to support the overall power authority restoration capabilities.

GPA has provided the poles to CUC, and are working together to install them on Saipan as part of a mutual aid program. FEMA is assisting in the transport of these poles, which falls under Category F of FEMA’s Public Assistance program. This includes the permanent restoration and repair of utilities for water treatment and delivery systems; power generation facilities and distribution facilities; sewage collection and treatment facilities; and communications.

“Saipan is well under way to recovery” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen M. DeBlasio Sr., “The installation of these concrete poles as well as additional treated wood utility poles is a clear sign of recovery and the ongoing partnership of the whole community.”

This is a great Mitigation effort here on the island provided through Mutual Aid between the GPA and Saipan CUC, and the FEMA Public Assistance Program.

FEMA also mission assigned power experts from the United State Army Core of Engineers (USACE) 249^th Prime Power Battalion Delta team to assist CNMI in installing the hardwire and electrical wiring on the utility poles.

Through the PA Program, FEMA provides supplemental Federal disaster grant assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain Private Non-Profit (PNP) organizations. The PA Program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.