Carlo identifies lobbying figures linked to temporary generation bidders
By THE STAR STAFF
Regulatory Compliance Services President Osvaldo Carlo Linares told island lawmakers on Tuesday that the Independent Office of Procurement (3PPO) had identified three individuals or firms connected to lobbying efforts by the companies that competed for Puerto Rico’s temporary generation contract.
Testifying under oath before the Government Committee in the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, Carlo said “In [bidder] Javelin’s case, the McConnell [Valdés] firm was involved, which has a lobbying division,” Carlo said. “[…] For Gotham, it was attorney Anthony Maceira. And for Power Expectations, it was Alfredo Escalera. Those are the three components.”
He noted, however, that all three bidders submitted sworn statements asserting they had no lobbyists. When 3PPO questioned the individuals identified, each company offered a different explanation. Power Expectations described Escalera as a “business advisor,” not a lobbyist, while Maceira said he was acting as Gotham’s attorney.
Carlo added that 3PPO had received calls, meeting requests, and other outreach tied to the companies involved in the procurement.
The testimony forms part of the House investigation into the process that led to the now‑cancelled $5.9 billion contract awarded to Power Expectations, Reyes Contractor Group, and other firms involved in a 400-megawatt temporary generation project.
During questioning, Popular Democratic Party Rep. Héctor Ferrer Santiago asked whether officials at the Public‑Private Partnerships Authority (P3A) had favored any particular bidder. Carlo responded that he had not detected any such intervention.
Carlo did confirm that Energy Czar and P3A Executive Director Josué Colón Ortiz participated in a meeting related to the substitution of one of the companies in the agreement. Carlo said the meeting took place at the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) and included representatives from Power Expectations, Flotek, and Reyes Contractor Group, PREPA’s then‑executive director, attorney Juan González, and others.
“In that meeting, the matter was discussed and we were asked to conduct the evaluation,” Carlo said, noting that the request required assessing the proposed company’s financial capacity.
When Ferrer Santiago asked directly whether Colón Ortiz was present, Carlo replied: “Yes, he participated.”
The exchange prompted Ferrer Santiago to request a review of Colón Ortiz’s prior testimony to determine whether a referral for possible perjury is warranted. The minority lawmaker said Colón Ortiz previously stated he did not participate in the process, while Carlo’s testimony placed him in a meeting tied to a key change in the contract.
Earlier in the hearing, Carlo said that based on the portion of Colón Ortiz’s prior testimony he had seen, he had not identified any falsehoods. He also confirmed he was part of a chat group related to the procurement and agreed to provide those communications to the committee.
The House Government Committee, chaired by Rep. Víctor Parés Otero, is investigating the functions, procedures and responsibilities of the 3PPO under House Resolution 42 as part of its broader review of Puerto Rico’s energy contracting processes.
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