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Puerto Rico governor orders probe of discovery of hurricane recovery materials
Source: Reuters
#U.S. JANUARY 11, 2018 / 4:08 PM / UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO
Puerto Rico governor orders probe of discovery of hurricane recovery materials
Nick Brown
3 MIN READ
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Puerto Rico’s governor has ordered an investigation of materials discovered in a warehouse belonging to the U.S. territory’s electric authority that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said are critical to restoring power following September’s Hurricane Maria.
Governor Ricardo Rossello said in a statement on Thursday he is ordering the island’s Department of Justice to investigate whether “rules were violated and/or crimes were committed against the public interest” in the procurement and administration of the materials.
It is the latest headache for Puerto Rico over the response by its power authority, known as PREPA, to the September storm, which decimated the U.S. territory’s outdated electric grid so forcefully that 40 percent of its 3.4 million residents remain without power.
The Army Corps, which is in charge of grid repairs in Puerto Rico, on Saturday discovered a stock of transformers, splices and other materials in a warehouse at PREPA’s Palo Seco plant. The Army Corps said the materials were not being used, leading to some delays in power resurgence.
PREPA refuted that, saying the items were consistently put to use, if not specifically for hurricane recovery.
-snip-
Puerto Rico governor orders probe of discovery of hurricane recovery materials
Nick Brown
3 MIN READ
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Puerto Rico’s governor has ordered an investigation of materials discovered in a warehouse belonging to the U.S. territory’s electric authority that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said are critical to restoring power following September’s Hurricane Maria.
Governor Ricardo Rossello said in a statement on Thursday he is ordering the island’s Department of Justice to investigate whether “rules were violated and/or crimes were committed against the public interest” in the procurement and administration of the materials.
It is the latest headache for Puerto Rico over the response by its power authority, known as PREPA, to the September storm, which decimated the U.S. territory’s outdated electric grid so forcefully that 40 percent of its 3.4 million residents remain without power.
The Army Corps, which is in charge of grid repairs in Puerto Rico, on Saturday discovered a stock of transformers, splices and other materials in a warehouse at PREPA’s Palo Seco plant. The Army Corps said the materials were not being used, leading to some delays in power resurgence.
PREPA refuted that, saying the items were consistently put to use, if not specifically for hurricane recovery.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-puertorico-storm-energy/puerto-rico-governor-orders-probe-of-discovery-of-hurricane-recovery-materials-idUSKBN1F02VU