111507 Gemma Q. Casas Variety News Staff
GOVERNOR Benigno R. Fitial yesterday said the Legislature’s override of his veto of the measure lowering residential power rates still stands as law but his team of legal experts determined they can promulgate emergency regulations.
“I think this whole issue is being misunderstood,” he said. “The Legislature passed a bill that reduced (residential power) rates. But it says, as you know, that there should also be fluctuating rates in the event that the price of fuel goes up. As you know, the price of fuel went up. Now, it’s approaching $100 per barrel,” said the governor.
He vetoed House Bill 15-246 on Sept. 14 which sets the rate at 17.6 cents the first 1,000 kilowatt hours of energy residential customers use and 22 cents per kilowatt hour for anything in excess of that.
But both houses of the Legislature overrode it just before the Nov. 3 election.
Thus, H.B. 15-246 became Public Law 15-94 and took effect on Oct. 4.
Fitial said P.L. 15-94 also states in part: “The electric charges and rates in this section shall supersede and replace the residential rates established by the amendments to part 24 of the Electric Service Regulations of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. as set forth in 28 Com. Reg. 9 26156, et se. (Sept. 27, 2006), which became effective on Oct. 27, 2006; provided that the electric fuel rates may fluctuate depending on the actual cost of fuel.”
Changes in utility rates can only be made by the Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission.
Pending the creation of the commission, the Legislature enacted a law allowing the attorney general to act as the quasi-body of CUC.
On Nov. 2, Fitial approved the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s emergency regulations allowing it to charge residents 25.8 cents per kwh for the first 1,000 kwhs and 30.2 cents per kwh for all electricity they consume over 1,000 kwhs.
“That law, which was overridden by the Legislature, allows for the fluctuating rates. We’re only complying with the law. We didn’t create the law. The cost of fuel was allowed by that law to be factored into the rates that we now have,” said the governor.
“The emergency regulations were a function of that law that we promulgated,” he added.
ROLLING BLACK OUT"S
OUTAGE November 19, 2007...lower dandan.
OUTAGE November 20th, schedule to go off in some parts of the Island.
OUTAGE November 21th, 2007 HITS KAGMAN
EMERGENCY BLACKOUT HITS SAIPAN November 21st, 2007 5pm without announcement.
ROTATING BLACKOUTS ARE BACK November 23rd, 2007
Feeder 4 - 1 in the morning and another from 7pm-9pm.
OUTAGE: November 25th, 2007
Feeder 4 - 1 at midnight and another at 7-9pm.
OUTAGE: November 26th, 2007
Susupe, Feeder 4 7-9pm & midnight for 2 hours.
OUTAGE: November 27th, 2007
Feeder 4 morning hours
HERE WE GO AGAIN
Local Sunday, March 30, 2008
Fate of power rate repeal now lies with Senate
By Agnes E. Donato
Reporter
House members are counting on the Senate to pass a bill repealing a law that reduced power rates in the Commonwealth.
Rep. Tina Sablan, one of bill's sponsors, said yesterday that passing the bill is a difficult political decision, but it “needs to be done.”
“I am hopeful that they [senators] will see the gravity of the situation and act expeditiously,” Sablan said in an interview yesterday.
Rep. Heinz Hofschneider, also a sponsor of the bill, expressed the same hope. “Everyday that we don't act to repeal that law means CUC will continue to burden the general fund,” he said.
House Bill 16-79 passed the Lower House with a 17-1 vote on Thursday. Rep. Stanley T. Torres voted against the bill. Representatives Oscar M. Babauta and Ralph Torres were not present.
The bill proposes to repeal Public Law 15-94, which forced power rates down to 17 cents per kWh in October 2007, and reduced or scrapped other charges for residential customers.
The law, compounded by the rising cost of fuel, has caused the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. to face a shortfall of about $1 million each month for fuel alone.
Due to the shortfall, CUC for instance failed to pay for a full 30-day fuel supply last month. Power outages are now occurring partly because CUC is stretching to last for 30 days the 23-day supply that it managed to purchase.
Hofschneider said that the repealer bill would not only allow CUC to pay for full fuel deliveries, but also reduce government subsidy to the utility.
In addition, Sablan argued, the customers would not lose much if P.L. 15-94 was repealed. The law, she noted, has not been of any real benefit to the customers, since emergency regulations were adopted to give CUC flexibility in setting the fuel component of the power rates.
House Bill 16-79 will become law once approved by the Senate and signed by the governor.
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July - August 2007
SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 Update
TAOTAO TANO SPEAKS!
PROPOSED LAND LEASE TO CORRUPTED INVESTOR
UPDATE ON COPPER THEFT!
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