This month, ratepayers will see the last energy credit on their Guam Power Authority bill.
The 37th Guam Legislature is working on another measure that might extend it for five more months.
The fifth and final increment of the monthly $100 Prugråman Ayuda Para I Taotao-ta Energy Credit will be applied to April’s bill as announced on a release last month by GPA.
The same day, Speaker Therese Terlaje, a Democrat, introduced legislation to extend the monthly $100 energy credit for five more months.
Bill 83-37 would appropriate over $26 million from Fiscal Year 2022 surplus revenues to GPA for a five-month extension to the Prugråman Ayuda Para I Taotao-ta energy credit program.
The legislature’s Committee on General Government Operations and Appropriations is now looking for ways to appropriate the funds.
During an interview on Newstalk K57 with Patti Arroyo, Democrat Sen. Joe San Agustin, a co-sponsor of the bill, said that the measure is currently under review.
“Well 83 is in my committee and we’re just trying to confirm the funding first,” said San Agustin. “Once we confirm it, then it’s a go for it.”
He said that if and when they find the funds for the extension, he will try to push it on the table as soon as possible, so ratepayers can have an ongoing energy credit for five more months.
However, he said if they’re unable to pass the measure before May, the funds can still be made available retroactively when the bill is passed like it was done in 2022.
“If the money is there I will say let’s just go for it as fast as possible and if we don’t make the main deadline we could always pass it and retro it one month back, which you know the people of Guam will benefit anyway from the $100 a month,” San Agustin said.
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