The only hospital in the Northern Marianas had to run on back-up power for six hours after its electricity was cut over unpaid power bills.
Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation Photo: wikicommons
It happened despite assurances from Governor Ralph Torres that the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) and his administration had reached an agreement not to cut power to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation (CHCC).
The power company followed through with its threat, however, even as the administration paid half of the $US5 million the utilities company said was the bare minimum needed to keep the lights on.
At present, the hospital's unpaid power bills total about $US34 million.
It was later learned that the government paid an additional $US150,000 but the CUC went ahead and disconnected power for six hours after the CHCC paid only US$2000 of the US$50,000 it needed to pay monthly.
The CUC earlier said that cutting power for six hours a day would allow the hospital to bring down its power costs and pay its monthly dues.
CHCC, however, said disconnecting the hospital's power would jeopardize its Medicare and Medicaid eligibility, which require a hospital to have stable power.
CHCC also said running the hospital on a generator was not a good idea because there was no backup for the backup generator.