Profile Overview
Quick Facts
- The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) meets nearly all of its energy needs with imported petroleum products. Diesel fuel, primarily used for electricity generation, accounting for two-thirds of imports, gasoline making up one-fourth, and aviation fuel about one-tenth.
- Electricity customers in CNMI pay a fuel surcharge that varies with the price of diesel fuel. In February 2025, the fuel surcharge was 24 cents per kilowatthour. CNMI residents pay electricity prices that are roughly three times higher than the U.S. average.
- CNMI's electric utility supplies the territory with electricity generated at five diesel-fueled power plants (three on Saipan and one each on Tinian and Rota).
- The commercial sector, led by tourism, is typically the largest electricity-consuming sector in CNMI, accounting for about two-thirds of total electricity sales in 2023.
- About one-tenth of CNMI’s total available electricity generation capacity is fueled by solar and wind energy.
Last Updated: April 17, 2025