Guam Power Authority (Illustration courtesy of Guam Power Authority)
(Fadian, Mangilao) – With Tropical Depression 4W developing southeast of Guam and forecast to track west-northwest toward the Marianas, the Guam Power Authority (GPA) continues to take proactive measures to prepare the island-wide power system for the potential impacts of tropical storm-force winds. As part of our ongoing storm preparedness protocols, GPA crews are working to safeguard power plants and substations, ensuring they are fortified against tropical storm conditions.
These preparations include:
Vegetation Management: Although vegetation clearing is conducted year-round, GPA’s Transmission and Distribution (T&D) teams are giving special attention to areas known for overgrowth, including excessive trees and bamboo, which can pose risks during storms.
Emergency Staffing: GPA has ensured that appropriate staffing levels are in place to respond to any emergencies, as long as weather conditions permit safe operations.
Generator Readiness: GPA teams are checking and fueling standby generators, including those for water wells, to ensure they are operational and ready to provide backup power if needed.
Adequate Inventory: GPA has worked toward increased inventory to ensure that critical materials and supplies are readily available when needed.
We urge all customers to take precautions and safely clear any debris or vegetation around their homes that could become hazardous during the storm.
GPA urges residents to take precautions and protect or unplug sensitive electronic equipment to prevent damage due to lightning strikes or power surges. Customers are also advised that if you are experiencing power fluctuations, brownouts, extremely bright lights, dimming/flickering lights, or water coming out of your outlets, turn off your main breaker as you may cause damage to other appliances.
For power-related emergencies or reports of downed power lines, please contact GPA’s Power Systems Control Center (PSCC) Dispatch at (671) 475-1472/3/4. Customers can also report emergencies via GPA’s Facebook or Instagram direct messaging services.
Please note, GPA’s SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and smart grid management systems will provide GPA with real-time data on power outages. To ensure emergency lines remain open for urgent safety issues, we ask customers to refrain from calling unless reporting immediate dangers such as downed lines, poles, or sparking transformers.
Stay informed and prepared by listening to updates from the National Weather Service (NWS) and Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense.
Stay Safe, Guam.
