Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández (PPD, D) delivered remarks on the floor of the United States House of Representatives on June 3, calling for federal oversight and transparency following the withdrawal of a proposed emergency power barge plan in Puerto Rico. The government had initially supported using barge-based generation to address a summer energy shortfall but later abandoned the plan, citing hurricane-related safety concerns raised by federal agencies.
“These concerns led to the proposals being disqualified from the bidding process,” Hernández said. “Then the rumors began—of irregularities, lobbying, and conflicts of interest.” He emphasized that his concern is not with which company won the bid, but rather with whether the public interest was protected in the process.
The Resident Commissioner announced that he had joined Representative Mark Green (R) of Tennessee, chairman of the US House Committee on Homeland Security, in sending a bipartisan letter to multiple federal agencies and the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau. The letter seeks answers regarding the disqualification process, including which agencies were involved, whether any lobbying influenced the decision, and what specific safety concerns were raised.
Hernández has been vocal on energy issues in the islands, recently introducing HR 2714, the Puerto Rico Energy Generation Crisis Task Force Act, which would establish a coordinated federal-local response to energy infrastructure failures.
In both English and Spanish, during his remarks, Hernández reiterated the need for accountability and transparency. “The people of Puerto Rico don’t deserve blackouts—and they certainly don’t deserve deals being made in the dark.”
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