By The Star Staff
Vega Baja Mayor Marcos Cruz Molina, who led a citizen effort earlier this week to protest the constant blackouts and load shifts that impact homes, schools, hospitals and businesses in the northern coastal town, said Tuesday that he achieved his goal of drawing attention to the problem of the lack of energy generation.
“This is a long-term process, and now we are also going to the [Puerto Rico] Energy Bureau to validate what is indicated on both sides of the process,” the mayor said. “We are clear that we are facing a complicated process, but the first step is to have real information on the situation.”
At a meeting with Iván Báez of Genera PR, Cruz Molina received details on the work that the company in charge of the island’s legacy electric power plants will carry out in the short, medium and long term, specifically the demolition of the facilities in Vega Baja, and the establishment of a battery system.
“The lack of energy generation affects the whole society, from human reality to economic development,” Cruz Molina said. “Solutions must be as quick as possible.”
The Puerto Rico Mayors Association governing board member also pointed out that since last March, the Energy Bureau has had before it a letter in which Genera PR requests to change the energy system, and no step has been taken to do so, even though the proposed change would generate savings of $80 million in costs, which would benefit the consumer.
“Almost six months after the issuance of this document, we are going to see what has been done, because the energy situation is the main problem that Puerto Rico has at the moment,” added the mayor, who will document the efforts in order to inform U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.
“By order of President Joe Biden, she has been very attentive to everything that happens on the island and has made multiple visits,” Cruz Molina said. “We will make all the efforts that can be made for the well-being of our people.”
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