Rodrigo Masses, president of the Association of Industrialists of Puerto Rico (AIPR), said today that he is betting that the island will become a model to follow regarding the electrical transformation on the island as part of the work on lifting the system after the passage of hurricane Maria.
“Puerto Rico should aspire to be a leader in the development of new codes for the design and construction and planning of electrical networks that would later be used in other jurisdictions prone to the passage of increasingly intense hurricanes,” Masses said in a press release.
“The industrial sector, which generates almost half of the gross domestic product of Puerto Rico, is one of the largest consumers of energy and, therefore, an essential part of the discussion on costs and energy reliability,” Masses added.
Masses emphasized that the industrial sector has been a main actor in the public discussion on the issue of energy infrastructure and reform as an advocate for the industrial and commercial sector by intervening in the proposed transition charges and increasing the energy tariff.
These transition charges were left without effect by a court, achieving significant savings in the pocket of the subscribers of the Electric Power Authority (AEE) by not increasing energy costs.
Masses also assured that the AIPR could become an interventor with the current Administration, the AEE and the Fiscal Supervision Board (JSF) for the “transformation” of the electrical system devastated by Hurricane Maria.
In communication to Governor Ricardo Rosselló, Masses, he suggested that his body should be the intervener between the Executive, the JSF, the Energy Commission and the EEA to “transform” the electricity service on the island after the passage of the cyclone. September 20.
“We have the history, the intelligence, the capacity and the resources to take on this challenge, and we understand that our collaboration can be fundamental and irreplaceable in converting our electrical system into a world-class one,” Masses said in a press release.
Masses emphasized that the AIPR has promoted initiatives to renew the island’s electricity system, some of which have been adopted by the administration with favorable results.
He added that “within the misfortune”, there is a “unique” opportunity to learn from all the “input” that is being generated with the radiography of the electrical system, the assessment of damages, the work of the brigades, access to the market of purchase of electrical system materials and tests and controls of generation and electric transmission.
He also mentioned the “input” of the federal government, collaborators and committed advisors, “that we should not waste even a second” to lift the island’s electricity system, of which 30% of clients currently have it.
“We must be developing the ‘playbook’ (notebook of plays) of how to face category 5 hurricanes and how to redesign the new electrical system of our island,” said Masses.
