In the midst of ongoing power outages in Puerto Rico, government officials are seeking accountability from two private electric companies. The outages have left tens of thousands of customers, including schools, homes, and businesses, without electricity due to a deficit in generation and maintenance issues.
Lawmakers have called upon the presidents of Luma Energy and Genera PR to address the situation and provide clarity on the causes of the outages. The companies have been engaged in a blame game, with Luma Energy pointing to a lack of electricity generation and deteriorating infrastructure operated by Genera PR, while Genera PR claims that Luma Energy requested a reduction in generation that led to damaged units.
Both companies were brought in after the privatization of Puerto Rico's Electric Power Authority, which was aimed at addressing the territory's significant debt and modernizing its aging infrastructure. The current situation has prompted the territory's ombudsman to urge the governor to take decisive action, criticizing the companies for keeping Puerto Ricans 'hostage' and lacking a sense of urgency in resolving the issue.
These outages follow recent challenges faced by Puerto Rico, including power disruptions caused by Tropical Storm Ernesto and the ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Maria in 2017. The island's electric grid is still undergoing repairs to ensure long-term stability and resilience.
