‘No agency disconnections yet’

Acting Commonwealth Utilities Corp. executive director Betty G. Terlaje, extreme right, answers a question raised by CUC board director Simon A. Sanchez, extreme left, during the board’s meeting last Friday. (Ferdie de la Torre)

As of yesterday, not one of the many government agencies that had been issued disconnection notices after failing to pay past due utility billings has been disconnected yet.

This was confirmed yesterday by acting CUC executive director Betty G. Terlaje in response to Saipan Tribune’s follow-up questions about her statements during the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. board meeting last Friday.

Terlaje said they would have a meeting about the disconnection notices later that day (yesterday afternoon).

At the CUC board meeting Friday, Terlaje disclosed that almost all the government agencies that were issued disconnection notices have disputed or are contesting the notices, insisting that their numbers do not match with CUC’s numbers.

In some cases, she said, the argument was that the unpaid utility bill was that of a different agency, or it’s a different customer. “However, we are going through each one of them,” said Terlaje, adding that they had already met with these agencies. She did not specifically mention at the meeting the names of the agencies.

Last May 10 and 11, CUC issued disconnection notices to the Office of the Attorney General, Northern Marianas College, the Marianas Visitors Authority, Northern Islands Mayor’s Office, Northern Mariana Islands Settlement Fund, Tinian Casino Gaming Control Commission, Department of Public Lands, Office of the Mayor of Rota, Office of the Mayor of Saipan, and Office of the Mayor of Tinian and Aguiguan.

CUC gave these agencies until last May 24, 2023 to pay or settle their past due utility billings, or else power and water services would be disconnected the following day, May 25.

Last May 3, CUC sent a disconnection notice to the Judiciary for unpaid $2.4 million utility services. The disconnection did not push through by the May 18, 2023, deadline after the Judiciary disputed the $1.6 million billing for the Guma’ Hustisia building on Saipan.

In some cases, Terlaje said Friday, some agencies have been trying to work something out with other departments that are already the new tenants of the buildings.

Terlaje said if these agencies did not close up the account in those facilities, then the burden of paying is still with them as they are the applicants for the services.

She said there are still a handful that the CUC accounting department is reconciling with their assigned staff. After reconciling, they will determine as to whether to pursue the disconnection or not, she added.

Terlaje said a lot of these agencies have also been waiting for the allotments from the central government. “Our response is that they have to work something out,” she said.

Terlaje said once they have finalized looking into the dispute, they will give them another timeline to work with Finance.

“That’s between them and Finance. We’re just going to wait for that time to come,” she said.

Last April 19, CUC also served notices of disconnection to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. and Department of Public Works due to unpaid power and water services amounting to $53.6 million and $1.2 million as of March 31, 2023, respectively. CHCC and DPW were given until May 4, 2023, to pay or settle their billings.

CHCC settled with CUC, while DPW, through Finance, disputed the amount, avoiding disconnection.