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In comments made to the press on Monday, Governor Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia stated that his discussion with governor-elect Jenniffer González Colón last week was centered on the transition of government, “the future challenges facing Puerto Rico” and “a potential extraordinary session of the Legislative Assembly.”
“We covered all these topics,” Pierluisi noted. “Concerning the challenges, I told the governor-elect that the primary challenge Puerto Rico faces is the stability and overhaul of our electrical system. This is clear; it stands as the most significant challenge. Additionally, the [resident] commissioner has certain programmatic commitments that I am confident she will strive to fulfill.”
On the subject of the ongoing difficulties linked to the island’s vulnerable power grid, the governor remarked, “I pointed out to her that we are seeking a two-year extension for the additional generators we possess, which utilize natural gas and provide us with 350 megawatts.”
“That process is already in motion,” he stated. “I informed the governor-elect, and shortly after, it became clear that FEMA is already reviewing that extension request. This is crucial because we recognize that the primary issue afflicting our electrical system currently is the insufficient generation capacity. It’s a narrow margin, meaning we can barely meet our existing demand. If we were to lose those 350 megawatts suddenly, it would result in even more interruptions than we have recently witnessed, and we wish to avoid that.”
Pierluisi continued, “I also emphasized our continued insistence on an adjustment due to the extraordinary inflation that has occurred in the United States, which includes Puerto Rico, in the funds FEMA has allocated for the overall reconstruction.”
“I advised the governor-elect that if [those requests] do not yield results now, we will need to revisit them in January,” he stated.
In terms of the extraordinary session, the governor remarked, “we merely discussed in general about the possible bills to be included in the extraordinary session.”
“The governor-elect requested a copy of all the bills I referenced during our meeting that could potentially be included and are currently under consideration …” Pierluisi explained. “What I aim to achieve is a consensus since both the legislative leadership and the governor-elect are aligned on the matter […], regarding the agenda of the extraordinary session. If that alignment exists, then it will take place. If not, it will not proceed as I will not be creating unnecessary controversies. Nevertheless, I maintain that there are specific areas that warrant attention and it is sensible to address them now, prior to the conclusion of the four-year term.”
