Affordable Power for the Northern Marianas Act

The Affordable Power for the Northern Marianas Act directs that $15 million annually be allocated from existing federal capital improvement funds to support the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands starting in fiscal year 2027. Up to $3 million of this total is reserved for addressing immigration, labor, or law enforcement issues, while the remainder must be used for capital infrastructure projects that improve the affordability, reliability, and efficiency of the local electric energy system. The Secretary of the Interior is required to prioritize these power projects if they are expected to lower electricity rates or reduce fuel costs, and they must benefit the public utility serving the Commonwealth without requiring any local matching funds. This specific funding arrangement will remain in effect until a new multi-year funding agreement between the United States and the Northern Mariana Islands takes legal force.