PAGO PAGO, American Samoa — A senator in the U.S. territory of American Samoa has taken an executive post with the Commonwealth Utility Corp. in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Before being elected, Sen. Utu Abe Malae had served for some 20 years as chief executive officer for the American Samoa Power Authority. He says he’s accepted the job of assistant executive director for operations.
The first-term senator says before the Legislature convenes in January, he will ask his constituents to consider replacing him in the Senate.
He says the Northern Marianas utility is facing difficulties operating its water, wastewater and power services.
Malae says those kinds of challenges piqued his interest, so he accepted the job offer.