By The Star Staff
Genera PR announced on Thursday the awarding of $459 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the purchase and installation of equipment that will increase the reliability and stability of the island’s electric power plants.
Genera, the private operator of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority’s fleet of plants, also reaffirmed its commitment to work with the incoming government of Jenniffer González Colón to ensure an efficient use of the funds to guarantee a robust energy system for the island. The allocation of funds was achieved in a record time of 60 days, thanks to a cooperative effort between FEMA and the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience (COR3), and the performance guarantees offered by Genera PR.
The new units, destined for the facilities at Costa Sur (Guayanilla), Daguao (Ceiba), Yabucoa and Jobos (Guyama), will provide some 244 megawatts of energy, strengthening electrical availability during high demand peaks, and are part of an ambitious islandwide generation project, with a total investment exceeding $2 billion in federal funds.
Iván Báez, vice president of public and government affairs at Genera PR, highlighted: “The granting of these funds marks a significant advance in our strategic projects and in our commitment to provide reliable and accessible energy to the people of Puerto Rico.”
“This progress is especially relevant due to the urgent need to improve our energy facilities,” he said, noting that Genera PR has worked hand in hand with FEMA and COR3 to expedite the project and obtain the source of funds for the necessary investment, whose rapid approval will allow the start of manufacturing and installation work on new, more efficient backup units with the capacity to use multiple fuels.
“Our projects will greatly benefit all of Puerto Rico; our goal is to unify efforts with the state and federal government to demonstrate effective execution and ensure the proper use of the allocated funds,” Báez said. “We trust that we will have the support of elected officials because we share the same goal: to improve the quality of life of the Puerto Rican people.”