The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation has asked the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation for more than $1.3 billion in federal assistance, a request disclosed last week in a status conference before U.S. District Judge David Carter as part of CUC’s court‑ordered reporting on post‑typhoon recovery.
CUC said it submitted two major project packages to office on March 1: about $700 million for power system restoration and hardening, and roughly $600 million for water and wastewater upgrades. The filings are based on damage assessments from Super Typhoons Sinlaku and Bavi, which destroyed generation assets, transmission lines, water production facilities, wastewater systems, and environmental monitoring infrastructure across Saipan, Tinian and Rota.
The corporation reported 659 damaged poles and 601 transformers on Saipan during Sinlaku, and 128 poles and 79 transformers on Rota during Bavi. Water production facilities also suffered extensive failures, leaving multiple tanks compromised and dozens of wells offline.
CUC told the court that federal assistance is now critical to stabilize operations and complete long‑term recovery. The submissions emphasize defense‑related resilience, a key eligibility factor for the CNMI.
CUC said its finances remain strained by the storm‑related costs, fuel expenses, and the need to replace critical equipment. The $1.3 billion request is the largest federal funding package the utility has ever submitted.
Carter is reviewing the filing under orders issued in 2008 after EPA cited CUC for violations of the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act.
