Puerto Rico Energy Bureau OKs $9.6M in PREPA projects
The Puerto Rico Energy Bureau approved the investment of more than $9.6 million for seven out of 10 projects evaluated by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA).
Work will be carried out at the Aguirre, Costa Sur, and Palo Seco plants after the agency determined that they meet both the present and future needs of the island’s electricity service as well as the public energy policy that is promoted through the Integrated Resource Plan that the regulatory entity has launched.
In February, the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau considered several permanent improvements projects for PREPA’s infrastructure.
“The seven projects are aimed at carrying out works and permanent improvements with an investment of $9,658,851 and that meet the existing needs for the optimal operation of the Palo Seco, Costa Sur and Aguirre generation plants,” said PREB President Edison Avilés-Deliz.
“Now it’s up to PREPA to comply with the order to present the status of each of the projects to both the Board and FEMA and COR3,” said Avilés-Deliz.
Avilés also explained that it is clear from the resolution and order that the three unapproved projects “are mainly aimed at making purchases to replace equipment and infrastructure that, at this time and as they were presented, do not go hand in hand with the current public energy policy.”
It will be up to PREPA to provide more detailed information that demonstrates the effect and cost of such improvements in the plan to reduce the use of fossil fuel in our jurisdiction, he said.
