Puerto Rico Senator fears new crisis due to worker discontent in electricity sector

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Thomas Rivera Schatz warned Tuesday that if the problems and discontent in Puerto Rico’s electricity sector are not adequately addressed, the island could face a social crisis similar to the one in 2019, which led to the resignation of then-governor Ricardo Rosselló.

“We must rise to the times. I want to point out and remember that time is the worst antagonist,” said Rivera Schatz, of the ruling New Progressive Party (NPP), following protests by the UTIER union, with representation in the state-owned Electric Power Authority (Prepa), over a much-criticized contract with the company LUMA Energy.

LUMA Energy will assume as of June 1 the areas of transmission and distribution of electric energy in Puerto Rico in substitution of PREPA, which has meant that employees of the state-owned company will be transferred to this private firm due to agreements with the government.

In addition, UTIER union members point out that they are being forced to perform functions that have nothing to do with their experience and qualifications.

Rivera Schatz affirmed that the discontent could generate a crisis like that of the “summer of 2019,” when a private “chat” of Rosselló and his closest collaborators came to light, in which the participants mocked different social sectors and public figures, in addition to describing plans to control public opinion.

The popular outrage provoked massive protests that culminated in Rosselló’s resignation.

“If a worker, a union, or the public, in general, is out of time, it happens, and there are ways to correct it. When the one who does not fall on time is the government, unforgettable summers occur, serious problems and until the end of time,” said Rivera Schatz, who was president of the Senate in the summer of 2019.

DISCONTENT, ABSENTEEISM, AND SERVICE CUTS

In recent days, Prepa executives acknowledged the very high absenteeism of workers responsible for the repairs that have caused thousands of subscribers to be without electricity service for days.

The absenteeism would respond to the workers’ protest for their forced relocation in LUMA Energy or other government agencies.

Prepa reported today that it continues to work with available personnel to restore service to its subscribers after recognizing that 25,000 customers are without service.

The public utility detailed that out of 1,500 technical personnel, 618 workers are available, representing 41%.

Prepa’s Generation Director, William Ríos, informed that the generation plants continue working in their regular operation and have their total employees.