Manufacturers convey to PREPA’s new chief urgency for ‘viable service’
One of the PRMA’s principal concerns is the need to transform PREPA to achieve a long-term sustainable and resilient competitive electrical system in Puerto Rico.
The Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association sent a letter to the new executive director of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, Walter Higgins, stressing the need for “environmentally friendly and cost effective electric service.”
In the letter, the trade group offered its “support and expert resources in everything necessary to improve the transformation and competitiveness of our electric power system.” The PRMA established a “viable” rate of .15¢/KvH.
“One of the PRMA’s principal concerns is the need to transform PREPA to achieve a long-term sustainable and resilient competitive electrical system in Puerto Rico. You can be part of the eventual development of a 21st century electrical power supply and distribution system necessary to serve America’s largest territory of 3.3 million U.S. citizens,” the letter signed by PRMA President Rodrigo Masses stated.
The PRMA also pointed to the need for streamlining current consulting contracts, and establishing public bidding mechanisms to ensure broad participation.
“Also, we expect you to work with the well-established Puerto Rico Energy Commission, to manage the transformation or our power system,” the letter noted.
In his communication with Higgins — who was appointed earlier this month to head the bankrupt public corporation — Masses also noted the “need to insert PREPA aggressively and in favor of an electrical transformation necessary to democratize all services for the benefit of Puerto Rico’s competitiveness.”
“We support that both our residential and commercial consumers have a choice in which PREPA competes with interconnected options, a modern and resilient reconstructed network, that is regulated and managed with the best global practices that allow us to take advantage of our natural resources — sun and wind — in line with storage and control technologies,” Masses said, asking Higgins for a meeting to discuss the PRMA’s recommendations and concerns.
