19 Nov 2014

CNMI utilities agency still in emergency mode

7:39 am on 19 November 2014

The Northern Marianas electricity and water provider is still under a state of emergency amid ongoing financial problems.

The territory's Governor Eloy Inos extended the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation's situation last week, citing its financial crisis and a dearth of technical workers.

He said the agency is owed more than $US20 million by the Public School System and the Commonwealth Health Centre and is owed millions more by other users.

The declaration also noted that it often only has days worth of fuel to power its generators because it lacks the money to buy oil from its sole, cash-only supplier.

The Governor says the CNMI doesn't have enough US citizens or specialists at the agency to perform the power generation work.