Guam’s ‘Christmas Tree’ power grid must end; senators must abolish the CCU

By Douglas Moylan

The senators should properly begin oversight hearings to eliminate the Consolidated Commission on Utilities and the ineffective, part-time CCU members responsible for this recurring and injurious load shedding. These long-time board members are the same ones responsible for this weekend’s, and many weekends’ ‘Christmas Tree,’ power outages. There’s no immediate end in sight to year(s) of upcoming load shedding and increasing power bills due to an inept CCU. Reminds me of the early 1990s with Public Law 21-117 needing to be passed by the Guam Legislature.

Its the Stockholm Syndrome. where their CCU spokesperson and member Simon Sanchez tells us ‘don’t worry, no load shedding today,’ all whilst the fast-track generators are burning expensive diesel and we are going to pay for it in our next power bill. Why did he and his other part-time board members fail to order the cheaper, fuel-oil-burning, base load generators years ago to avoid this load shedding? When your kidnapper tells you anything, the hostage needs to know to escape and not thank him.

Right after these CCU members were elected in January, they gave pay increases with our money. For what? They’re “Empire Building” with nothing to show for it. Inadequate power capacity and fundamental system failures due to poor planning strikes at the essence of why the CCU exists. Nice offices and flashy fliers telling us what they are doing and that we pay for, do nothing to keep our lights on. We and our families continue to suffer in 2023, especially after more than a month of Super Typhoon Mawar utility outages. Outages that could have been prevented and shortened for many of us by the CCU simply changing out wood poles in the past 20 years since Super Typhoon Pongsona.

Unacceptable.

Restore GPA and GWA leadership to the governor like the Guam Organic Act directed. One elected, full-time official to hold accountable. Keep the Public Utilities Commission to regulate our utility rates to balance fair utility rate with proper capital investments. Each time the power goes off and we suffer, an intelligent community asks which public servant was responsible. Waiting for the next election is intolerable.

The senators have a duty to stop the load shedding, and damage to – especially – our expensive electronic equipment. The voltages and amps spike as they keep re- energizing the lines, destroying our personal properties. Allow the hard working Guam Power Authority and Guam Waterworks Authority employees good leadership to do their jobs effectively for us. The CCU is not just Inorganic, but they are hurting this community.

A fundamental change is needed. The attorney general’s role is to assess the problem, create options, enforce the law and work with our leaders to protect us from injury. Make no mistake, we are being hurt by this Inorganic CCU and its operational failures.

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Douglas Moylan is the elected attorney general of Guam, and the island’s chief local law enforcer.