The Northern Mariana's House of Representatives has passed a bill lowering new electricity charges imposed by the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.
The bill reduces the fixed monthly customer charge of $5.60 for residential customers to $3.50.
Commercial and government customers who pay a fixed monthly customer charge of $7.67 will pay $6 if the legislation becomes law.
There are also reductions in unit charges across for both residential and commercial customers.
The main sponsor of the bill Deleon Guerrero said many residents are not able to pay their utility bills because they're too high.
He says many residents earn wages below the United States poverty level and cannot afford to pay the new charges.
