After the rejection of House Bill 17-114 as amended by the Senate, Speaker Eli D. Cabrera, R-Saipan, appointed Reps. Stanley T. Torres, Ind.-Saipan, Ralph S. Demapan, Covenant-Saipan, and Frank S. Dela Cruz, R-Saipan, to the conference committee.
The Senate for its part named Senate Floor Leader Pete S. Reyes, R-Saipan, Sens. Frank Q. Cruz, R-Tinian, and Juan M. Ayuyu, Ind.-Rota, to the panel which met yesterday.
Taking into consideration the administration’s concerns, the conference committee came up with a draft bill acceptable to both houses.
Introduced by Torres, H.B. 17-114 gives CUC the “flexibility” in privatizing its power division.
But the conference committee report stated that “no contract shall be awarded pursuant to a request for proposals unless the attorney general certifies under penalty of perjury that the RFP [request for proposals] is the most appropriate procurement tool for specific form of private sector assistance agreement. The draft also provides that such RFP complies with all CUC regulations, CNMI and federal laws.”
Renewable energy projects, the bill stated, are those that do not use fossil fuels as main source of power. They include but are not limited to wind, solar, geothermal or biomass.
Cabrera in an interview said the draft was the product of the “meeting of the minds” among the Senate, the House and the administration.
He said they will hold a session tomorrow so they can act on the bill.
Variety learned that the Senate will hold a session on Friday to pass the measure.
