The PR Electric Power Authority (PREPA) is in a state of emergency, as requested by Executive Director Josué Colón, with the purpose of expediting purchases and repairing part of the public corporation’s fleet and infrastructure.
The information was confirmed by the president of the PREPA Governing Board, Fernando Gil Ensenat.
“The resolution was given until 12:00 noon to the other members and I advance them that this procedure has already been approved to expedite these purchases,” Gil Enseñat told the press on Capitol Hill.
Asked by journalists, the official did not call it a “state of emergency”, but a “state of emergency for implementation.”
Next to him, Colón Ortiz pointed out that the declaration does not include Units 1 and 2 of Palo Seco, nor Units 3 and 4 of Costa Sur.
The engineer also announced that AES and EcoElectrica would go out of operation soon due to maintenance. He assured that the generation is controlled, and they do not suppose there will be blackouts because of it.
The state of emergency has been the subject of discussion during the past week, to the extent that Colón Ortiz first did not favor it and then changed his mind.
Likewise, Governor Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia stated that PREPA already had authorization to carry out an expedited purchasing procedure since January, so the emergency declaration was not so urgent.
