CNMI utility company in need of FEMA reimbursement

3:47 pm on 29 May 2019

The utilities agency in the Northern Marianas is still waiting for the Federal Emergency Management Office to reimburse the $US8 million it incurred from recovery efforts following last year's Super Typhoon Yutu.

The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation say the slow reimbursement from the federal government is causing a major strain on its cash flow.

CUC says the reimbursement would come in handy since it has trouble collecting arrears from the CNMI government.

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Photo: Supplied

The Commonwealth Health Care Corporation alone owes CUC over $US27 million.

However CUC reports that revenue data shows power and water sales are now very close to its pre-Yutu level.

The utilities agency had to replace more than 2,000 wooden power poles with concrete ones in addition to fixing the power grid that was decimated by the storm in October 2018.

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