Guam's Ukudu power plant now up and running

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

The Guam Power Authority officially turned on the Ukudu Power Plant, a 198-megawatt combined-cycle plant touted to reduce the island's dependence on fossil fuels.

The $600-million power plant in Dededo, which took more than a decade of planning, development and construction, will replace GPA's aging infrastructure

and strengthen the islandwide power system.

“This moment represents the culmination of a 13-year journey to modernize  Guam’s power system, shaped by significant challenges along the way, including the Covid-19 pandemic, Typhoon Mawar and a prolonged generation capacity shortfall,” said John M. Benavente, GPA general manager.

“As Guam enters a new year, Ukudu brings us closer to delivering cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable energy on a sustained basis, helping power Guam’s future and the next generation who will depend on it," he added.

GPA officially commissioned the Ukudu power plant for commercial operation on Christmas Day, following a weeklong dry run to test its reliability.

Construction on the project began in July 2022, with the completion target originally set for April 2024. However, Typhoon Mawar, which struck Guam in May 2023, caused significant damage to the project's structures, requiring major repairs.

The power plant was initially scheduled to be fully commissioned on Sept. 30, but the launch had since been repeatedly delayed due to a glitch detected during system testing.

Guam Ukudu Power, the contractor led by the KEPCO/Korea East-West Power consortium, will eventually transfer the power plant to GPA at the end of the 25-year build-operate-transfer term.

"Ukudu’s commissioning strengthens system reliability and supports GPA’s long-term strategy to reduce fuel dependence while building a brighter energy future for Guam’s families, businesses, and children," GPA said.

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