Super Typhoon Sinlaku left a trail of destruction in the North Pacific US territory.
Photo: RNZ Pacific / Mark Rabago
Large-scale US military generators have been connected to the power grid on Tinian in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), after Super Typhoon Sinlaku badly damaged the island’s power plant.
The US Army Corps of Engineers and the Army’s 249th Engineer Battalion delivered temporary grid power on 28 May at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), giving the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) time to repair permanent infrastructure.
Unlike standard emergency generators used for individual buildings, the MEP 810D generators can support community-scale distribution and connect directly to Tinian’s electrical grid at about 4160 volts.
Before the storm, which hit the US territory in April, Tinian’s peak power demand was just under three megawatts. Officials said the temporary system is meant to meet recovery needs while repairs continue.
CNMI governor David Apatang said restoring electricity was critical to health, safety and recovery.
“This is what recovery looks like when local, federal and military partners come together with urgency and purpose,” Apatang said.
Tinian mayor Edwin Aldan said the return of power means more than electricity.
“It represents hope, stability, and an important step toward recovery,” Aldan said, adding that power allows families to preserve food and medicine, businesses to reopen and essential services to continue.
FEMA’s federal coordinating officer Andrew Grant said the mission showed the importance of whole-of-government coordination after a disaster of this scale.
The deployment required military airlift and sealift operations to move personnel, generators, heavy equipment and support materials to Tinian.
Officials said teams carried out testing and commissioning with CUC, FEMA and technical experts before introducing electricity into the grid.
They also warned that damaged wiring inside homes and businesses remains a major post-storm hazard, even when the main grid is ready to receive power.
CUC executive director Kevin Watson said synchronising temporary generation with an island grid is a highly technical process.
“We are working closely with USACE, FEMA and our utility team to ensure power is restored safely, reliably and sustainably for the people of Tinian,” Watson said.
USACE is also coordinating additional generation options on Tinian, including standby generators at the former Voice of America facility, in coordination with Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command and other partners.
Officials said the temporary grid power mission is an interim emergency measure aimed at stabilising daily life and keeping critical services operating while Tinian continues recovering from Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
