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| Puerto Rico’s Governor Calls for Whitefish Energy Contract to Be Canceled | Puerto Rico’s Governor Calls for Whitefish Energy Contract to Be Canceled |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Gov. Ricardo Rosselló of Puerto Rico has asked the governing board of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority to “immediately” cancel its contract with Whitefish Energy, he announced on Sunday. | Gov. Ricardo Rosselló of Puerto Rico has asked the governing board of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority to “immediately” cancel its contract with Whitefish Energy, he announced on Sunday. |
| The decision came two days after the Federal Emergency Management Agency expressed “significant concerns” about how Whitefish, a small Montana company, won a contract for up to $300 million to rebuild part of Puerto Rico’s electrical grid after it was severely damaged last month by Hurricane Maria. | The decision came two days after the Federal Emergency Management Agency expressed “significant concerns” about how Whitefish, a small Montana company, won a contract for up to $300 million to rebuild part of Puerto Rico’s electrical grid after it was severely damaged last month by Hurricane Maria. |
| Whitefish is based in the hometown of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. | Whitefish is based in the hometown of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. |
| “There can be no distraction that alters the commitment to repair the power grid as quickly as possible,” Mr. Rosselló said in a statement. | “There can be no distraction that alters the commitment to repair the power grid as quickly as possible,” Mr. Rosselló said in a statement. |
| He said he was asking Florida and New York for help. The power authority, known as Prepa, and its contractors have only 404 brigades on the island, Mr. Rosselló said, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers has seven. | He said he was asking Florida and New York for help. The power authority, known as Prepa, and its contractors have only 404 brigades on the island, Mr. Rosselló said, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers has seven. |
| He said he was seeking more than 1,000 by Nov. 8. | He said he was seeking more than 1,000 by Nov. 8. |
| “I have given instructions to immediately proceed with the necessary coordination with the states of Florida and New York, in order for brigades and equipment to arrive on the island,” Mr. Rosselló said. | “I have given instructions to immediately proceed with the necessary coordination with the states of Florida and New York, in order for brigades and equipment to arrive on the island,” Mr. Rosselló said. |
| The governor said the decision to ask New York and Florida for help was being made because the Army Corps of Engineers had not managed to get the job done in the time frame initially outlined. | The governor said the decision to ask New York and Florida for help was being made because the Army Corps of Engineers had not managed to get the job done in the time frame initially outlined. |
| Power companies traditionally engage power companies from other states for help immediately after emergencies. Mr. Ramos had said that he did not do so in this case, because the power companies were hesitant to commit at first until they were sure where Maria would make landfall. He didn’t do so afterward, because by then the Army Corps of Engineers had been tasked with the job. | Power companies traditionally engage power companies from other states for help immediately after emergencies. Mr. Ramos had said that he did not do so in this case, because the power companies were hesitant to commit at first until they were sure where Maria would make landfall. He didn’t do so afterward, because by then the Army Corps of Engineers had been tasked with the job. |
| Representatives of Whitefish and the Army Corps of Engineers were not immediately available to comment on Sunday. | Representatives of Whitefish and the Army Corps of Engineers were not immediately available to comment on Sunday. |
| On Friday, Whitefish said in a statement it planned to cooperate with any information requests from lawmakers, federal officials “or other appropriate governmental bodies, and look forward to the facts coming to light.” | On Friday, Whitefish said in a statement it planned to cooperate with any information requests from lawmakers, federal officials “or other appropriate governmental bodies, and look forward to the facts coming to light.” |
| Most of the island remain without power more than a month after Maria struck on Sept. 20 as a Category 4 hurricane. | |
| In an interview this month, Ricardo Ramos, the chief executive of Prepa, said he had contracted with Whitefish because the company did not insist on a down payment. | In an interview this month, Ricardo Ramos, the chief executive of Prepa, said he had contracted with Whitefish because the company did not insist on a down payment. |
| Other companies, wary of Prepa’s bankruptcy, had demanded hefty sums, he said. It had also been in talks with another company, Power Secure. | Other companies, wary of Prepa’s bankruptcy, had demanded hefty sums, he said. It had also been in talks with another company, Power Secure. |
| Asked how a such a small company could take on such a big job, Mr. Ramos said, “Every company is small at some point in time.” | Asked how a such a small company could take on such a big job, Mr. Ramos said, “Every company is small at some point in time.” |
| He added that the company had sent a proposal after Hurricane Irma and before Maria, as had other companies. He studied its brochure and was interested in its work in mountainous terrain. | He added that the company had sent a proposal after Hurricane Irma and before Maria, as had other companies. He studied its brochure and was interested in its work in mountainous terrain. |
| “They told us about the assets, how many helicopters, how many crews,” he said. “They told us about their capability and we can increase — double, triple, quadruple — the size of the crews and we went ahead and mobilized them.” | “They told us about the assets, how many helicopters, how many crews,” he said. “They told us about their capability and we can increase — double, triple, quadruple — the size of the crews and we went ahead and mobilized them.” |
| The chief executive of Whitefish Energy, Andy Techmanski, said this month that the company got the contract because he was able to stay in communication with Prepa when other companies could not. He flew to Puerto Rico before the deal was signed on a “leap of faith,” he said in an interview this month. | The chief executive of Whitefish Energy, Andy Techmanski, said this month that the company got the contract because he was able to stay in communication with Prepa when other companies could not. He flew to Puerto Rico before the deal was signed on a “leap of faith,” he said in an interview this month. |
| “It was more of a scenario we were able to maintain limited communication with Prepa throughout the hurricane where perhaps others were having difficulties,” Mr. Techmanski said. “We ended up taking a leap of faith to help. I found a flight, and went into Puerto Rico right after the storm, and we were able to find and connect with the people at the power company.” | |
| “We made a commitment to come here, we stand behind that commitment,” he said before Mr. Rosselló’s announcement on Sunday. |