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Glitches with ASPA CashPower system leaves customers scrambling for electric service

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Joyetter@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — American Samoa Power Authority’s CashPower system that allows ASPA customers to purchase debit meter credits has been down since last Tuesday.

Vendors say the ASPA system is not working and that customers have to purchase CashPower only in person from ASPA.

However families that were unable to purchase power from the ASPA during office hours, can purchase their debit meter credits using bank cards from overseas.

The ASPA online system is unable to process payments using the Territorial Bank of American Samoa’s bank cards.

Samoa News reached out to the ASPA Director Wallon Young, but did not receive an answer as of press time.

In the meantime, families have had to reach out to their family overseas to purchase their CashPower for them, some families have even asked their neighbors for assistance.

A family on the east side told Samoa News that they reached out to their lawmaker addressing this issue and their faipule had to purchase the CashPower for them.

A notice was posted on the ASPA Facebook page on Sunday morning with an apology to their customers who have tried to purchase CashPower debit meter credits at stores.

“We are experiencing some technical difficulties with purchasing at the stores.

 “We encourage customers to please visit our website www.aspower.com to purchase debit meter online.  “If you are not able to purchase online, please call 699-1234 for assistance and options to buy CashPower.

 “We apologize for the inconvenience.”

According to an ASPA official, families were allowed to charge $20 to their accounts for CashPower for the weekend, which was only done after ASPA management received calls from several lawmakers over complaints from their constituents.

Samoa News also made calls to ASPA Deputy Director, Ryan Tuato’o over the weekend but there was no response.

BACKGROUND

Samoa News should point out that the Territorial bank and Bluesky Communications experience internet connectivity problems last Friday. And while services are said to have been restored, word is that ATMs were still down over the weekend.

For TBAS, due to its internet connection problems last Friday morning, it delayed the opening of its two branches and it also effected its ATMs. The problem was resolved by 12noon, the same day, according to the bank.

Bluesky Communications also posted a “service outage notice” last Friday on its Facebook page, saying it affected its customers in Utulei, Faganeanea, Matu'u and Faga'alu villages. Service outages were Mobile Voice and Data, Internet and Cable services. Bluesky says its services were fully restored later in the day.