Guam Senator Tommy Morrison had high praise for announced plans by the Consolidated Commission on Utilities and the Guam Power Authority to move forward with additional renewable energy production programs.
According to Senator Morrison, an announcement last week by GPA of a proposed 120 megawatt solar farm in Mangilao “is yet another major decision by the CCU that will help insulate families against further rate increases.” “With an additional savings of $2 million in fuel costs in the first year of operations, the new solar farm in Mangilao – combined with other recent initiatives including the construction of a separate 40 megawatt solar farm on U.S. Navy property and the development of a new energy storage system – are all positive steps forward in our island’s broader effort to embrace a safer, cleaner and more sustainable energy production system.”
With the State of Hawaii setting its sights on reaching 100 percent of net renewable electrical energy sales by 2045, Senator Morrison is interested in finding out where Guam currently stands, since present public law only requires that only 25 percent of Guam's net energy sales come from renewable sources by 2035. Moving forward, Senator Morrison is prepared to introduce separate legislation to adjust the renewable portfolio standards based on recommendations provided by the CCU and GPA.
“Adjusting our renewable portfolio standards means more than changing percentages on paper – it’s about keeping decision makers at all levels accountable for implementing policies and programs that reduce our carbon footprint without increasing costs and jeopardizing the reliability of our energy production infrastructure. Not only will pursuing additional renewable energy capacity reduce our power bills as fuel costs represent approximately two-thirds of our payments, Guam will be doing its small part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the long run,” Morrison said.