(Office of the CNMI Governor) — On Friday morning, at the governor’s office, Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang, joined by members of the CNMI Strategic Energy Task Force and U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Insular Affairs Field Representative Harry C. Blanco, virtually met with DOI OIA Director of Policy Basil C. Ottley, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Senior Project Leader Philip Voss, and NREL Clean Energy Policy & Island Sustainability Project Leader Erik Ness on moving forward with renewable energy in the CNMI.
Governor Palacios, Lt. Governor Apatang, and the Administration expressed their full support on the upcoming renewable energy projects underway in the Commonwealth as the NREL will be providing technical assistance, stakeholder outreach, and baseline energy and infrastructure assessment in the CNMI’s renewable energy projects under the Department of Interior and U.S Department of Energy.
The meeting also discussed potential grant funding for future infrastructure and energy projects in the CNMI as well as Energy Security Plans.
The NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy-Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy operated by the Alliance of Sustainable Energy that advances the science and engineering of energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, and renewable power technologies and provides the knowledge to integrate and optimize energy systems in the United States.
The members of the CNMI Strategic Energy Task Force that were present included: Commonwealth Utilities Corporation Acting Executive Director Dr. Dallas M. Peavey Jr., Infrastructure and Recovery Program Acting Coordinator Mariano R. Iglecias, Acting Director of the Office of Planning and Development Christopher A. Concepcion, Director of the CNMI Energy Division Thelma B. Inos, Chairman of the House Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communications Rep. Vincent S. Aldan, Rep. Marissa Flores, CUC Electrical Engineer Adrian M. Reyes, Capital Improvement Project Administrator Elizabeth Balajadia, CNMI State Energy Program Energy Division Program Manager Vincent S. Attao, and Office of Grants Management Representatives Frankie B. Angel and Thomasa P. Mendiola.
