The Rota legislative delegation is now preparing a resolution endorsing renewable energy investment on the island.
Donald Wen, president of Pacific-Green Integrated Technology Inc., met with the members of the Rota delegation yesterday to discuss the company’s interest in a renewable energy plant.
The $2.5 million project they envision on Rota will produce enough power to run a school, a hospital and a village, Wen said.
This project, Wen told the lawmakers, will be made possible by a grant program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Undersecretary Dallas Tonsager announced three weeks ago that they were accepting applications for the high energy cost grant program.
This provides funding to improve energy generation, transmission and distribution facilities that serve extremely high energy cost rural areas.
Those with average home costs that exceed 275 percent of the national average will qualify for the program.
Grants of up to $5 million will be awarded to businesses, non-profit entities, states, local governments and federally recognized Indian tribes.
Pacific-Green will apply for grant and launch the project on Rota.
Wen said they originally planned to do it on Guam but since the average home energy costs there do not exceed 275 percent of the national average, they want to do it here in the CNMI.
When he discussed this with Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and Commerce Secretary Michael Ada a few days ago, the governor suggested Rota as the administration was already “working on something” for the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.
Wen said he and his colleagues want to hear from the leaders and the members of Rota community before they will submit a grant application, the deadline for which is on Sept. 8.
Senate President Paul A. Manglona, Ind.-Rota, brought up the idea of providing the island with a
“municipal power plant” from where CUC can buy power so the Rota municipal government can generate revenue.
Sen. Jovita M. Taimanao, Ind.-Rota, said she is happy to see a possible solution to the increasing cost of living on their island.
Rep. Teresita A. Santos, Ind.-Rota, for her part, wants the project to benefit the island’s health center.
