Jean Peña Payano, Puerto Rico’s La Fortaleza secretary of Public Affairs, said on Thursday that the Financial Oversight and Management Board favors LUMA Energy in the court fight over its contract, and questioned the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau for approving increases in electric bills. Asked about the Board’s request to the Puerto Rico Supreme Court to appear as amicus curiae, he said he was not surprised and hoped the public would see who is on the side of the people and who is on LUMA’s.
LUMA is going to leave Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico will keep running.
The Board’s filing defended the operator’s contractual continuity and warned of possible operational and financial consequences for the power system if the government is found able to end the contract. Peña Payano said Governor Jenniffer González Colón’s administration still seeks LUMA’s exit: "LUMA is going to leave Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico will keep running."
He said the government is evaluating companies that could operate transmission and distribution, but named none and gave no dates. He said rate increases are not the governor’s doing but the Energy Bureau’s authorization, which he said approved a LUMA recommendation and should be held accountable. He added that the Bureau is independent and that any oversight of it would be for the governor to weigh legislatively.
LUMA notified the Bureau of about $48 million in additional generator fuel costs. LUMA president Janisse Quiñones said this is not a rate-increase request but a contractual and regulatory obligation when fuel costs exceed the budget by more than $20 million. LUMA attributed the costs to limited generation availability, market conditions and the natural gas supply dispute, and said the Bureau decides on any adjustment.
Peña Payano blamed LUMA’s diesel purchase projections. On aid for small businesses, he said he had no decision from the governor.