San Juan, Dec. 11 (EFECOM). – The company responsible for electricity transmission in Puerto Rico, LUMA Energy, assured on Thursday that the lawsuit filed by the government to terminate the contract would lead to major disruptions in the archipelago’s electricity supply.
“This action could also disrupt continuity at a critical time, further delay power system improvement projects, increase the risk of outages, delay restoration time and delay federally funded improvements,” LUMA Energy said in a statement.
For the company, “attempts to invalidate the contract or change the terms of a legally binding contract at this time send a concerning signal to any company considering doing business or investing in Puerto Rico.”
The Authority of Public-Private Partnerships (AAPP) and the Electric Power Authority filed an appeal this Thursday in the Court of San Juan to request the termination of the LUMA energy contract.
“The invalidity of a purported extension of the contract pursuant to which LUMA Energy, LLC and LUMA Energy ServCo, LLC operate the transmission and distribution system beyond the originally agreed transition period is presented to this Honorable Forum,” the lawsuit states.
For its part, the company indicated that it is studying the AAPP filing to assess its legal options, remaining true to its commitment to the archipelago’s energy transition.
“It is not surprising that the AAPP has expressed its intent to invalidate the LUMA contract without considering the actual and measurable progress made to stabilize the system, including clearing vegetation, replacing utility poles, and installing new transformers and switches,” LUMA said.
As well as “maintaining substations, replacing damaged transmission lines and investing more than $2.4 billion in federally funded projects.”
Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González mentioned in a special message following the lawsuit that the government hired LUMA in the belief that it was going through a competitive bidding process in which it “showcased its diverse skills and technical qualifications that made it worthy of the people’s trust.”
“We need a transmission and distribution operator capable of responding with a sense of urgency. It must be transparent and responsible with public and federal funds earmarked for recovery,” the president said.
Puerto Rico’s power grid has been very vulnerable since the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017, with frequent power outages, sometimes even general and lasting several days.
The constant power outages on the island since Luma began working in Puerto Rico in June 2021 and the increase in the bill despite the power outages are some of the causes that have caused discontent among citizens.
“We are confident that we continue to be the right solution for the long-term transformation of Puerto Rico’s electricity system, and we will not allow politically motivated actions to distract us or delay the restoration that the people of Puerto Rico desperately need,” the electric company said. EFECOM
About The Author
