LUMA claims chief of staff pressured utility over contract cancellation

Secretary of the Governorship Francisco Domenech 

By THE STAR STAFF

LUMA Energy escalated its confrontation with the González Colón administration on Thursday, alleging that it has preliminary evidence that Secretary of the Governorship Francisco Domenech pressured officials to expedite the cancellation of the company’s contract and to promote the search for a replacement operator.

The claim was made by LUMA attorney Fran Torres Viada during an interview on Nación Z, where he said the allegations form part of the company’s legal strategy in response to the Government of Puerto Rico’s lawsuit seeking to nullify the transmission and distribution contract.

“We have preliminary evidence… that the Secretary of the Governorship has participated directly in meetings with officials involved in the management of this contract to influence their judgment and pressure for its cancellation,” Torres Viada said.

He added that, according to LUMA, Domenech also made efforts to encourage the consideration of other operators. “We have evidence that he has taken affirmative steps to advance interests that are not the best interests of the people of Puerto Rico,” he said.

Torres Viada noted that the company expects the litigation to expand the evidentiary record through what he described as an “aggressive, energetic” discovery process. He said LUMA intends to litigate “with the tools of knowledge, intelligence, and truth.”

The allegations surface as Domenech faces separate scrutiny over his involvement in matters related to the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC). Both Domenech and Governor Jenniffer González Colón have defended his actions as part of his role in implementing the administration’s public policy, rejecting claims of improper intervention.

González Colón has repeatedly stated—both during her campaign and since taking office—that canceling LUMA’s contract is a commitment of her administration. The government’s lawsuit argues that the company has failed to meet contractual obligations.

The latest statements come days after LUMA filed a counterclaim against the government, calling the attempt to void the contract “frivolous” and seeking up to $4.5 billion in damages.

In that filing, the company linked the dispute to other controversies affecting the administration, including the potable water supply crisis and the public clash between Domenech and former DDEC Secretary Sebastián Negrón Reichard. LUMA argued that these issues point to a broader credibility problem that could undermine investor confidence in Puerto Rico.

While LUMA maintains that the government’s lawsuit is politically motivated and warns that terminating the contract could destabilize the electrical system, the administration insists it has sufficient grounds to seek nullification based on alleged contractual breaches.

The escalating conflict—now involving direct accusations against the governor’s top aide—signals a prolonged legal and political battle with significant implications for Puerto Rico’s energy system and governance.