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07/21/2025 - Rep. Vincent Aldan launched a scathing critique of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. during public comments at the July 18 meeting of the Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission held at the Marianas Business Plaza.
Aldan, who represents Precinct III in the House of Representatives, raised multiple issues with the utility's billing practices, lack of transparency, and perceived resistance to renewable energy interconnection, calling the corporation’s performance “dysfunctional” and needing serious reform.
The lawmaker first spotlighted a case involving a resident who relocated to the mainland U.S. but has yet to receive his security deposit from CUC, despite years of waiting. “It’s not just the deposit—it’s also the interest. That’s what the law says,” Aldan emphasized.
He then turned to his own experience as a solar user, questioning why he continued receiving higher-than-expected electricity bills despite having his system running partially off-grid for months.
“So, I'm pretty sure that, you know, it's either something's wrong with the meter or something's wrong with my system, but I'm pretty sure there isn't because I check it every day with my volt meter and everything like that to make sure I'm not taking in anything at all from CUC. So, something is definitely wrong here. If I know that I could literally go over to my system and remove the breaker, like literally remove it, and I think that would be, you know, I would say that cherry on top to see how dysfunctional CUC really is.”
Aldan cited irregularities in both his water bills. “I have zero leaks,” he insisted. “CUC cannot regulate water pressure, and that’s bursting pipes all over.”
He accused the utility of shifting the cost of delinquent government accounts—particularly the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.—onto paying customers like himself. “If you don’t pay your bill, I will,” he said, calling on the media to file an Open Government Act request for CUC’s delinquent account list. “It’s not just CHCC. It’s agencies, residents, businesses—and it’s not fair.”
On renewable energy, Aldan expressed frustration over what he described as long-standing excuses from CUC about grid stability and delays in approving interconnection agreements.
He warned that if renewable projects don’t accelerate, the CNMI could lose “hundreds of millions of dollars in opportunity” once new federal clean energy mandates take effect. He criticized CUC’s recent consultant recommendation to raise rates by 6%, saying, “So, I'm wondering if CUC was to be able to execute after decades of studies [on] the solar farm project, would the 6% be even on the table?”
He then put CUC top brass to task, saying that the only fix is for those who are in power and make decisions to actually improve and do their job.
“But if you lack the will to do your job, then I think that resignation letters are in order,” said Aldan.
Also speaking during the meeting was Rep. Marissa Flores, who called on CPUC to direct CUC to explain and justify the Fuel Adjustment Charge, which significantly affects consumers’ power bills. Flores asked for greater transparency, urging CUC to provide a breakdown of how the FAC is calculated and how frequently it's updated.
Report by Mark Rabago
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