The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) is a state government corporation that operates the electric power, water and wastewater services on the three main islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) ‐‐‐ Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. The CNMI is one of five U.S. territories (which include Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa). CUC is an autonomous agency of the CNMI government. As an autonomous agency, the CUC has an independent Board of Directors, who are appointed by the Governor, whose members serve a concurrent four‐year term.
Through a transition period between U.S. Trust Territory management and after the ratification of the CNMI Covenant, in 1975, the CNMI enacted legislation creating CUC. Due to a number of delays in actual implementation, the CUC did not take over operations until October 1987, which up to that time operated under the Department of Public Works. In the Special Representatives Agreement negotiated between the governments of the CNMI and the United States in July 1985, the CNMI government agreed that utility systems would operate on a full cost recovery basis within three years after passage of the enabling legislation. To date, CUC has yet to achieve full cost recovery.
There are 14 islands within the CNMI. CUC is responsible for providing power, water and sewer services to the three main islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. Presently, Saipan is the only island where CUC provides wastewater treatment services.
The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation is dedicated to excellent customer service and providing reliable, environmentally sensitive and effective Power, Water and Wastewater services for the people of the CNMI at the lowest reasonable cost while ensuring the safety of our employees and the community.
The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation’s vision is to be the preeminent, trusted power, water, and wastewater utility.
Through team and continuous quality improvement:
Core values that are tied to work performance, commitment to professionalism, practiced daily, promoted without compromise and communicated through action: