PIP Senator files Resolution for disclosure of information by LUMA

Representative of the Puerto Rican Independence Party Denis Márquez Lebrón.

By John McPhaul

jpmchaul@gmail.com

Convinced that LUMA Energy’s determination to prohibit the collection, recording and disclosure of information on electric service interruptions or the famous “blackouts” is an action to evade accountability to the country, the representative of the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), Denis Márquez Lebrón, filed Resolution 529 to order the entity to eliminate said prohibition.

“LUMA Energy, through these acts, intends to position itself outside the performance of accounts and intends to remain unaudited by entities that are dedicated, precisely, to collect available information to maintain the necessary transparency in any public service process. The acts of LUMA Energy in this case are totally contrary to what this company is supposed to pursue, which is to be accountable to the population,” said Márquez Lebrón.

HouseJoint Resolution 529 of the PIP legislator would mandate LUMA Energy to eliminate the prohibition on the collection, recording and disclosure of information on utility outage data in Puerto Rico, by any independent entity, agencies, academic or community institutions, whether public or private, in order to create a more reliable and complete source of information on outages or “blackouts” in our system.

“LUMA Energy’s own contract specifies that transparency in service metrics and statistics is one of the main responsibilities that this privatizer assumed, even more so when it comes to a service considered by the United Nations as a human right, that is its responsibility and we are going to demand that it fulfills it,” Marquez added.

For the lawyer, the Legislative Assembly must attend to its legislative measure as soon as possible “in order to promote the greatest possible transparency and provide the population with the proper tools to supervise public services.”

Last Wednesday, Juan Saca was appointed executive president of the energy consortium, effective July 1, 2023, as reported in a statement.

Saca, who previously served as executive director in Puerto Rico for Open Mobile and, later, PR Wireless, succeeds Wayne Stensby, who will return to Canada as chief operating officer of Calgary, Alberta-based ATCO Energy Systems.