Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider said “the time is ripe to start looking at alternatives like engines that produce electricity.”
Hofschneider, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, said the CNMI is totally reliant on the oil prices in the world market.
“We don’t have any leverage when it comes to oil prices in the world. We don’t have a crystal ball to predict when the price of oil is going to go up, and we don’t have mineral deposits in the commonwealth that we can rely on. We are at the mercy of the global market in terms of oil,” Hofschneider said.
Proper planning is needed for the future in terms of how to develop the economy, he added.
He said investors will ask first about the utility price on island before doing business here.
“We need to have a plan to supply affordable power for the next 20 years or so,” he added.
“Windmills, solar power or geothermal, for example, is far cheaper than relying 100 percent on oil when we don’t have the ability to leverage or negotiate oil prices,” Hofschneider said.
He said renewable energy is a must.
“We cannot get out of the high cost of utility if we will not start looking for alternatives with renewable energy,” Hofschneider added.
By taking advantage of direct assistance from the federal government through the U.S. Department of Energy, Hofschneider said the commonwealth can start procuring, buying and researching whether solar power or geothermal is ideal for the commonwealth.
“It may cost us a lot of money but in the long run, the consumers or the people of the commonwealth the business will enjoy reliable power and affordable power because it will be cheaper, rather than paying high rates for the cost of fuel,” he said.
