The Guam Power Authority (GPA) announced Thursday that the commissioning of the 198-megawatt Ukudu Power Plant will be delayed until December 2025 following damage discovered in one of the facility’s three gas turbines. Contractor Guam Ukudu Power (GUP) reported the issue during pre-commissioning testing earlier this month, noting the turbine requires both on-island repairs and overseas rotor restoration. GPA emphasized the setback is unrelated to earlier repairs completed on the steam turbine rotor.
GUP resumed full pre-commissioning tests in August after successfully repairing the steam turbine rotor ahead of schedule. However, on Sept. 3, GUP notified GPA of the gas turbine damage. GPA said the repairs fall under GUP’s responsibility and are not connected to its own operations. The authority pledged to continue providing updates as the contractor progresses with corrective work.
Despite the delay, GUP has confirmed that the plant can generate about 120 megawatts under combined cycle operations during testing. GPA is coordinating with GUP and the Guam Environmental Protection Agency (GEPA) to evaluate whether this temporary capacity can help stabilize the island’s grid. In addition, Cabras Unit 1 is expected to return to service soon, which GPA said will further strengthen generation resources during peak demand hours.
GPA General Manager John Benavente said the authority remains committed to safeguarding service reliability while the project is completed. “Our goal remains to keep our promise to the island: that the commissioning of Ukudu will happen, and the power plant will provide reliable and affordable power on a sustained basis,” Benavente said. Once online, the Ukudu Power Plant is projected to reduce fuel imports by more than 900,000 barrels annually and play a central role in GPA’s Clean Energy Master Plan, which aims for more than 50% renewable energy by 2035.