WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs’ is proving $6,800,000 in grant awards through Energizing Insular Communities program to support energy initiatives in the U.S. territories.

Interior Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, Douglas W. Domenech said, “This support through Interior will fund a range of energy initiatives in the territories that will reduce energy costs and increase energy efficiency by replacing older appliances, analyzing current usage, retrofitting older buildings, and exploring alternative energy options proposed in territorial Energy Action Plans.”

Fiscal year 2020 Energizing Insular Communities grant funding and prior-year, re-directed funds totaling $6,800,000 is provided to each of the U.S. territories as follow:

American Samoa receives the following:

¥    American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) - $1,947,400 will be used for two different initiatives to be conducted by ASPA. Under the first initiative, funds will be used to install a solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage system on the island of Aunu’u to become 100% powered by renewable energy, as envisioned in the American Samoa Renewable Energy Committee Energy Action Plan. Two existing 100 kW diesel Caterpillar generators will be used for back-up power. Under the second initiative, funds will be used to purchase and install two 5-ton small-scale fuel distillation units that will convert waste oil into diesel fuel for use at ASPA’s diesel power plants that distribute electricity to island residents. Following recommended goals in the American Samoa Energy Action Plan, ASPA will use these distillation units to recycle and repurpose waste oil from vehicles, power plants, shipping vessels, and other uses on-island, at a 90% rate of conversion efficiency, to re-use in diesel-powered power plants.
 
Other grants are going to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Office of Insular Affairs’ (OIA) Energizing Insular Communities (EIC) program is made available each year by Congress to support energy priorities in the U.S. territories. For more information on grant assistance provided through OIA, please visit: https://www.doi.gov/oia/financial-assistance.