CUC was first stripped of its autonomy and placed under the governor’s control in May 2008 amid constant blackouts on Saipan.
That E.O. allows CUC to be exempted from CNMI procurement and environmental rules.
The governor said he is again invoking his executive powers to exempt CUC from a law that allows it to hire only 19 foreigners.
Fitial said there is a shortage of manpower to efficiently run CUC’s power plants.
“CUC has repeatedly asked the Legislature to lift the restrictions on foreign workers. The Legislature has failed to act on the CUC request. Without relief, this inaction will effectively set the stage for loss of service and higher rates. Among other things it will thereby reverse the $6 million-per-year benefit of terminating the Aggreko temporary power contract,” the governor said in his latest 11-page E.O.
He said the E.O. should correct errors in wording in the CUC enabling legislation recently re-enacted, Public Law 16-17 as amended, barring the CUC executive director from day-to-day management of the corporation, effectively shutting down the agency.
“This EO eliminates these problems while it is in effect,” he said.
At least four major generators are scheduled to undergo overhaul next month. The governor said adequate technical staff is essential to this work.
“Any significant reduction in CUC’s present technical workforce could seriously compromise CUC’s ability to generate and distribute power. With respect to CUC’s lines, equipment used by CUC’s Transmission and Distribution unit is dilapidated and bordering on being unsafe. There is insufficient number of skilled workers to operate T & D. The linemen must be trained to, and skillful in, meeting U.S. standards,” he said.
“CUC has demonstrated that the required workers are available as nonresident workers, and cost-effectively so. Thus, continued relief from the legislative prohibition of hiring foreign national workers is necessary to ensure the delivery of uninterrupted power services to the people of the commonwealth,” he added.
