In a filing submitted to the federal Title III bankruptcy court this week, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority Employees Retirement System argued that allowing a local court case that seeks to invalidate the island energy regulator’s provisional “Pension Charge” -- a fee added to electricity bills to pay for authority retirees’ pensions -- to proceed would jeopardize crucial pension funding and disrupt the authority’s ongoing restructuring. (Facebook via Autoridad de Ene

Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority Executive President Luis González Delgado By THE STAR STAFF Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) Executive President Luis González Delgado and Authentic Independent Union (UIA by its initials in Spanish) President José Cajigas Romero announced Wednesday an agreement to begin a formal negotiation process regarding the Classification and Compensation Plan, thus calling off the strike called by the union. “I am a career employ

Janisse Quiñones, an engineer from Caguas, has been appointed as the new CEO of LUMA Energy. By THE STAR STAFF LUMA Energy, the private operator of the island’s electric power transmission and distribution system, announced Wednesday the appointment of Puerto Rican engineer Janisse Quiñones as the company’s chief executive officer, a position she will assume on March 30. “Returning to Puerto Rico to serve at this pivotal moment is both a professional honor and a deeply person

Jonathan Morales Adorno, president of the Federation of Long-Term Care Institutions By THE STAR STAFF “Long-term care facilities in Puerto Rico are not a problem. They are part of the solution for thousands of families in Puerto Rico who need a safe and dignified place for their elderly relatives,” stated Jonathan Morales Adorno, president of the Federation of Long-Term Care Institutions (FICPRO by its acronym in Spanish). Morales Adorno’s remarks came in response to a resolu

Rep. Edgar Robles Rivera (Facebook via Rep. Edgar Robles Rivera) By THE STAR STAFF District 14 (Arecibo and Hatillo) Rep. Edgar Robles Rivera expressed serious concern Tuesday regarding what he said was the severe administrative instability and improvisation plaguing the Northern Region of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA), which between Feb. 25 and March 3, has unexpectedly experienced three changes in its leadership. The situation is occurring while the

Authentic Independent Union representative Iván Vargas Muñiz (Facebook via Iván Vargas Muñiz) By THE STAR STAFF The Authentic Independent Union (UIA by its initials in Spanish), which represents employees of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA), announced Tuesday that its members will halt work today and Thursday after failing to secure a long‑sought salary increase. UIA representative Iván Vargas Muñiz said the stoppage comes in response to what the union de

By THE STAR STAFF Novum Energy Trading Inc. has filed a petition for certiorari with the Puerto Rico Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the award of Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 236096. The procurement process, conducted by Genera PR LLC on behalf of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), resulted in a contract valued at roughly $1 billion for the supply of some 12 million barrels of No. 6 fuel oil to the island’s San Juan, Palo Seco, Aguirre and Costa Sur power

By THE STAR STAFF Public Affairs Secretary Jean Peña Payano asserted Tuesday that the government has not agreed to reduce the proposed tax relief checks promised by Gov. Jenniffer González Colón, emphasizing that discussions with the Financial Oversight and Management Board are ongoing. Peña Payano said certain comments from the governor were made in response to a general inquiry about potential fiscal scenarios, rather than an indication of any official modification to the

By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rico Ports Authority (PRPA) is filing multiple notices of intent (NOIs) with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to impose and use passenger facility charges (PFCs) to fund infrastructure projects in several airports. PFCs in Puerto Rico vary by airport, but major commercial hubs currently charge the federal maximum of $4.50 per flight segment, according to the FAA. The fees are integrated into the airline ticket price and used for airport

With the installation of a 6-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system along with 19.9 kilowatt-hours of battery storage, the kitchen at El Pesebre now can operate during blackouts and grid failures caused by disasters or the current fragility of the island’s electrical infrastructure. By THE STAR STAFF In a collaborative effort to strengthen community resilience in southern Puerto Rico, the nonprofit organization Empowered by Light has partnered with El Pesebre Inc., Planet Solar a