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Marcos Cruz Molina, the Mayor of Vega Baja, spearheaded a community initiative earlier this week to protest the ongoing blackouts and load shifts affecting residences, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and businesses in the northern coastal region. He stated on Tuesday that he successfully highlighted the issue regarding insufficient energy generation.
“This is a process that will take time, and we will also be reaching out to the [Puerto Rico] Energy Bureau to verify what is indicated on both sides of the equation,” the mayor explained. “We understand that we are up against a challenging scenario, but the first step is to obtain accurate information about the current situation.”
During a discussion with Iván Báez from Genera PR, Cruz Molina was informed about the plans for the work that the organization responsible for the island’s outdated electric power plants intends to execute in the near, medium, and long term, specifically the deconstruction of the facilities in Vega Baja and the implementation of a battery system.
“The absence of energy generation impacts society as a whole, affecting everything from human conditions to economic growth,” Cruz Molina commented. “We need solutions as swiftly as possible.”
The board member of the Puerto Rico Mayors Association also highlighted that since last March, the Energy Bureau has been in possession of a letter in which Genera PR requests a modification to the energy system, yet no action has been taken on it, despite the fact that the proposed revision could lead to savings of $80 million, benefiting consumers.
“Nearly six months after the submission of this document, we are going to assess what has transpired, because the energy crisis is the principal issue that Puerto Rico faces at this time,” the mayor remarked, noting that he would document these efforts to update U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.
“Under President Joe Biden’s directive, she has been very engaged with everything occurring on the island and has made numerous visits,” Cruz Molina stated. “We will exhaust all possible efforts for the welfare of our community.”
