In Puerto Rico, House of Representatives Government Committee chair Víctor Parés Otero demanded the cancellation of the government’s contract with New Fortress Energy (NFE) after the company’s San Juan terminal manager, Carlos Farís, revealed that the Amur River tanker could only bring 60% of its approximately 149,700 cubic meters of liquefied natural gas capacity due to draft problems at Puerto Nuevo’s docks A, B, and C. Parés Otero called this an excuse, citing experts who find no justification for the limitation. He warned that receiving only half of the gas capacity would force power plants to use diesel again, increasing the cost per kilowatt for consumers.
The legislator also criticized the Energy Bureau for not taking a more active role in regulating NFE and announced that public hearings are scheduled for next Monday to pressure the government to take action. Parés Otero estimated the daily cost of relying on diesel at $1,250,000 and noted a 700-850 megawatt deficit, pushing for LUMA Energy to make decisions on temporary generation within 10 days due to the island’s lack of electrical margin.