Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, R-Saipan, told Gov. Benigno R. Fitial that although CUC already provided information to the Legislature, it was not adequate to determine what more could be done to avoid future blackouts on the island.
CUC remains under the governor’s control after he renewed for the fifth time the state of disaster emergency declaration on the CNMI.
Palacios said the administration’s help is “paramount” to reach a solution for CUC’s problems.
“When it comes to solving CUC’s problems on Saipan, the House leadership has held the belief that cooperation with the administration is paramount. If you recall, early in our term, we passed legislation removing the statutory restriction on CUC’s ability to set electrical rates and appropriating funds for the purchase of fuel for CUC,” he told the governor.
“We have also authorized CUC to utilize a set of tools to make more efficient its operation and management. This spirit of cooperation will continue so long as the administration pursues initiatives for improving CUC’s power generation system on Saipan that are feasible and make economic sense to implement,” he added.
The U.S. Department of the Interior approved the CNMI’s request to reprogram $3.8 million worth of grants to finance CUC’s rehabilitation project for power plant 1.
