The American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) is a government-run

public utility A public utility company (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using that infrastructure). Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and r ...

company providing electricity, water, wasterwater, and waste disposal services within

American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...

History

Governor Peter T. Coleman issued an emergency executive order on October 1, 1981, which established the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA). The 1970s and 1980s experienced frequent power outages. Supply failed to meet demand. Appeals to

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...

resulted in an appropriation of $1.5 million. Governor Coleman and Congressman Fofó Iosefa Fiti Sunia appealed to congressional committees for an emergency appropriation. In 1982, Congress approved $2 million out of the $8 requested. ASPA hired a new director, Jim Carrier, who urged the immediate purchase of two large diesel engines to solve the immediate problem. The move worked, but the increased use of air conditioners led to new energy usage issues. Power outages happened again in 1985. The new management in 1986 sought financial assistance from several sources and received loans from the Rural Electric Authority and the Retirement Fund. Success was immediate. In 1987, the territory's garbage disposal was transferred to ASPA. In 1995, Department of the Interior gave the Government of American Samoa a five-year grant to develop a master plan for the development of sewer, water, roads, and power services for

Tuālāuta County Tuālāuta County is a county in the Western District in American Samoa. It is the largest and also the most populated county in American Samoa. The county is represented by two seats in the Senate and two seats in House of Representatives in the ...

. ASPA received a $3.1 million grant from the

EPA The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...

for the first phase of the

Tafuna Tafuna ( sm, Tāfuna) is a village on the east coast of Tutuila Island, American Samoa. It is home to Pago Pago International Airport (Tafuna Airport). It is one mile south of Nu'uuli, American Samoa. The Ottoville district is a part of Tafuna. Ne ...

plains sewer system. The Master Plan for Port Development was completed. By the year 2000, ASPA was in control of all power distribution and generation, water systems, wastewater, and solid waste disposal. In 2008 the

American Samoa Senate The American Samoa Senate is the upper house of the American Samoa Fono. The Senate, like the lower House of Representatives, is a nonpartisan body. It is composed of 18 senators, serving a four-year term. History American Samoa became a Unit ...

proposed the dissolution of the ASPA in 2008 due to financial difficulties. Under the bill, the ASPA would be dissolved and its assets and operations would be transferred to a new proposed American Samoa Utility Department overseen by the

Executive Branch The Executive, also referred as the Executive branch or Executive power, is the term commonly used to describe that part of government which enforces the law, and has overall responsibility for the governance of a State (polity), state. In poli ...

. The bill was defeated in March 2008.

References

External links

ASPA website
{{authority control Economy of American Samoa Municipal electric utilities of the United States