The Guam Power Authority unveiled three new hybrid bucket trucks at its headquarters in Mangilao on Oct. 8.
GPA general manager, John M. Benavente said the inclusion of the bucket trucks into the GPA fleet is in line with the utility’s vision of the future of Guam’s energy.
“Our mission is clean, reliable, resilient, affordable, energy on a sustained basis,” he said. “I usually talk about the Ukudu Power Plant, all the renewables, the batteries, the big stuff. That’s all part of the mission, but even the small stuff [matters].”
GPA’s 50-foot 2025 Freightliner M2 106 Plus bucket truck was unveiled on Oct. 8 at its headquarters in Mangilao. Photo by Skyler Obispo
The new vehicles include two medium-duty 50-foot 2025 Freightliner M2 106 Plus trucks and a 55-foot 2025 Freightliner M2 106 Plus, each fitted with a Terex telescopic arm on an aerial work platform, powered by a SmartPTO, an electronic power takeoff system.
GPA’s assistant general manager for engineering and technical services, John J. Cruz Jr., said the trucks were funded in part by a roughly $300,000 grant under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act.
The trucks were supplied by Morrico Equipment and are valued at roughly $117,000 each. The two smaller trucks were funded by the grant while the other was outright bought by GPA at a reduced price.
In addition, the vehicles come with a three year warranty and service plan. Benavente said one oil change for the vehicles can cost up to $1,300.
Apart from the ability to use both electricity or diesel fuel to power the vehicles, it also prevents idling, which reduces fuel costs and prevents hazardous emissions that could cause negative long term health effects for linemen as they work, Cruz said.
For the ratepayers, these trucks would mean less expenses for GPA when it comes down to maintenance and fueling.
Franklin F. Taitague, a heavy equipment mechanic supervisor at GPA, said the ePTO could save about 70 gallons of fuel per month for each truck which equates to roughly $4,200 in saved fuel costs annually at $5 per gallon.
The battery for the ePTO can be charged from a standard 110 volt outlet which will take anywhere from five to twenty hours depending on how drained the battery is. The telescopic arm has about six to eight hours of usage according to GPA.
Benevente said that since the trucks are brand new, they are more reliable and that the electronic components are cheaper to maintain which saves money in the long run. mbj
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