House members who sponsored House Joint Resolution 16-12 want the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to oversee how the grants will be spent to rehabilitate the antiquated government-owned power plants.
This week, there have been more unannounced blackouts on Saipan.
Yesterday, residents and businesses along Beach Road endured more than five hours of unannounced blackout — from past 12 midnight to past 5 a.m.
Residents of Dandan complained that their power went out thrice without notice.
Rep. Heinz Hofschneider, R-Saipan and the principal sponsor of HJR 16-12, said the energy crisis in the CNMI requires significant funding that CUC cannot provide.
“The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. is unable to finance a major rehabilitative undertaking due to a sharp increase in fuel costs and a reduction in revenue collections…. Under Article VII of the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, the federal government committed to assisting the commonwealth financially with the award of grant funding for capital improvements and other activities,” the resolution stated.
It added that rehabilitating the power infrastructure in the CNMI, particularly on Saipan, the center of business activities in the commonwealth, should be a priority.
The power crisis is directly linked to the islands’ economic recovery as it will determine how investors will perceive the CNMI business climate, the resolution stated.
Interior is the lead agency responsible for insular areas like the CNMI.
“The Legislature is aware of past management and operational problems at CUC, and for this reason finds that any rehabilitation program using federal grant funds should therefore be under the supervision of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” the resolution stated.
