Puerto Rico Government's Deal With Infamous Coal Powerplant Operator Slammed Over Secrecy

The energy problem in Puerto Rico has entered a new chapter as a proposed amended contract between the local government and the operator of a coal-fired power plant has drawn some scrutiny during a public hearing.

Puerto Rico's Energy Bureau's hearing on the proposed amended contract earned the ire of environmentalists and lawyers as the amendments sought by AES Puerto Rico LP contained several redactions.

The power plant operator is a known polluter in Puerto Rico and has been accused of contaminating low-income communities. The amendments it sought were mostly redacted and left many raising their eyebrows given its history.

"It can say anything under those blackouts," Víctor Alvarado, who serves as the environmental affairs secretary for the Puerto Rican Independence Party, told the Associated Press, citing concerns about what the redactions could have held.

However, that amended contract was already approved by the governing board of Puerto Rico's Electric Power Authority. It explained that some of the details in the contract were redacted because the contract still had to be approved by the Energy Bureau and a federal control board.

This comes as the island faces power issues that were exposed by Hurricane Maria, which ravaged the US territory's power grid in September 2017. Puerto Ricans are still reeling from that incident, which left many without electricity for years.

Puerto Rico's power company argued that the controversial powerplant operator is already facing "severe" financial issues. Should the company cease to operate, the island's already precarious power grid would destabilize further and may result in power bills spiking.

Amended Contract Would Mean Increased Power Bills All Over Puerto Rico

The amended contract is expected to go into effect starting December 1, 2023. However, this would also bring some bad news for Puerto Ricans as this would also mean that their power bills would increase. This is a huge blow for the populace as Puerto Rico already has one of the highest electricity costs in all US jurisdictions.

AES is currently under investigation by the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Puerto Rico government's decision to award more money to the embattled company has also raised eyebrows. Currently, the EPA is testing air and water in the region to see the company's environmental impact.

A decision on the issue is expected to come from the territory's Energy Bureau within the next few days.

Puerto Rico Also Looking Into Solar Energy To Solve Energy Problems

To help solve Puerto Rico's continuing energy problems, Tesla Energy has introduced a virtual power plant program for people living in the US territory. The Australian clean energy company hopes this may alleviate the energy woes of many Puerto Ricans.

According to Clean Technica, this Tesla Virtual Power Plant may help stabilize Puerto Rico's grid by adding extra capacity to households and, therefore, reducing blackouts in a severe emergency. By using this type of solar energy, Puerto Ricans may also save money, as the island is infamous for its high electricity costs.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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