This law requires the CNMI to achieve 40 percent renewable energy portfolio by early next year, but the Senate during a meeting with a renewable energy vendor yesterday noted that the commonwealth was not moving forward.
House Bill 17-114, which will allow CUC to deal freely with independent power producers, or IPPs, has been going back and forth between House and Senate due to various amendments.
Introduced by Rep. Stanley Torres, Ind.-Saipan, H.B. 17-114 is the only piece of legislation on the bill calendar today but due to substantial amendments made by the Senate recently, the House will reject it today.
Speaker Eli D. Cabrera, R-Saipan, said he will assign Torres, Reps. Frank S. Dela Cruz, R-Saipan, and Ralph S. Demapan, Covenant-Saipan to a conference committee that will meet with their Senate counterparts to draft a version of the bill acceptable to both chambers.
Variety learned that acting Gov. Eloy S. Inos also suggested some amendments to the bill.
He wants an IPP for the renewable energy project should not be considered an eligible customer-generator as defined in P.L. 15-87, and thus, “not be subject to the rate or compensation limitation.”
Cabrera said the conference committee will review Inos’ proposed amendments.
Senate Pesident Paul A. Manglona, Ind.-Rota, said power generation continues to be a major issue in the CNMI so he wants the bill passed as soon as possible.
“This is something that concerns us all. So anything that has to do with renewable energy, we want to speed it up,” he said.
Six to nine years left
Commonwealth Utilities Corp. Executive Director Abe Malae who attended the meeting in the Senate chamber yesterday said CUC’s power plants have six to nine years left and must shift to renewable energy power during the same period.
Malae is counting on H.B. 17-114 which he believes will open doors to IPPs that can offer renewable energy to the CNMI.
“Our power plants have six to nine years more to live. We have to replace them. And instead of replacing them, we want to buy a new one with renewable energy,” he said.
Sen. Juan M. Ayuyu, Ind-Rota, said the current privatization law prevents the CNMI from moving ahead toward a renewable energy portfolio, which is why H.B. 17-114 should be passed.
“We were asking the speaker if they can include the amendment suggested by the lt. governor so they can pass it, and then, we’ll pass it,” he said.
