Senate committee hears CUC plan targeting 40% renewables with staged solar and battery projects

The Senate Public Utilities, Transportation and Communications Committee heard an informational presentation Feb. 20 from GHD and the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) on an updated integrated resource plan (IRP) that aims to raise renewable energy penetration to about 40 percent across Saipan, Tinian and Rota.

The presentation laid out a 20-year demand forecast, screened supply options and proposed a staging plan that centers on large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) farms paired with battery energy storage systems (BESS). "The main goal of the IRP update is to achieve 40% renewables," GHD project lead Andre Tenorio told the committee during the briefing.

Why it matters: CUC provides electricity across the Commonwealth; the IRP is intended to guide investment and system upgrades that affect reliability, future fuel costs and capital needs. Committee Chair Jude Ntalanov Schneider opened the hearing by thanking the utility staff for keeping service running and framing the session as an informational exchange.

Key findings presented - Demand forecast: GHD presented low-, base- and high-case demand scenarios for each island. For Saipan, the presentation showed a high-case peak near 68 megawatts, a base case near 60 megawatts and a low case near 43 megawatts over the IRP horizon. For Tinian and Rota, lower absolute loads were modeled (Tinian and Rota peak forecasts were given as single- and low-megawatt values). GHD said the forecasts incorporate island population projections, sectoral growth (residential, commercial, government), a project list provided by CUC and assumptions about electric-vehicle uptake.

- Technology screening and preferred options: GHD screened technologies by local resource availability, cost competitiveness, maturity, safety and reliability. Large-scale solar PV paired with battery energy storage received the most favorable ratings and was identified as the primary pathway to get toward the 40% renewable goal.

- Potential sites and staging: For Saipan, GHD listed four candidate sites (Escono, Nafthan, Calabara and Tapoachau) and said the largest near-plant or feeder-adjacent sites would help integrate capacity. For Tinian, Marple Heights was named as a potential site; for Rota GHD said existing public land parcels appeared too small to reach 40% and that additional sites (including private land) were still being evaluated in coordination with the Department of Public Lands and CUC.

- Staging and capacity targets: The presentation proposed a multi-phase rollout. GHD described an initial stage with utility-scale solar and BESS built during project development, followed by an optimal generation mix as demand grows. Examples presented included an initial tranche around 20 megawatts of solar plus battery storage and, at later stages, a combined build approaching 40 megawatts of solar with roughly 33 megawatts of BESS to reach the stated 40% renewable target. The presentation included several stated capacity figures at different points; the transcript contains inconsistent BESS figures (15 MW, 50 MW) in different slides and remarks. The article reports the range presented and notes that CUC/GHD representatives said final sizing depends on siting, interconnection studies and further modeling.

System impact studies and next steps GHD described system impact studies that model the electrical system response to added solar and storage and identify required grid upgrades. The consultants said they built or updated power-system models for Saipan and Rota and developed a new model for Tinian as part of the IRP work. GHD told the committee it expects to finish the IRP work in the near term; Tenorio said the team was looking to complete remaining deliverables by March.

No formal action required The session was an informational hearing; the committee did not take a formal vote on the IRP itself. Earlier in the meeting, the committee adopted the day's agenda (motion by Senator Francisco Cruz, seconded by Senator Corina L. Magoffnia), a procedural motion that carried.

What lawmakers asked: Senators and CUC representatives participated in Q&A and site-discussion, focusing on integration points, available public land and how demand uncertainty (including an announced but unspecified large data-center project) might change optimal sizing. CUC staff and board members on the dais said they would continue coordinating with GHD, the Department of Public Lands and other stakeholders as the plan moves toward final recommendations.

Looking ahead: GHD and CUC indicated the IRP will inform future capital planning, permitting and potential procurement for solar and storage projects; formal approvals and funding decisions were not part of the Feb. 20 hearing and would require separate actions by CUC, relevant agencies and, where applicable, the Legislature.