EEI and APPA Respond to PREPA's Request for Assistance in Restoring Power to Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This morning, the American Public Power Association (APPA) and the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) received a letter from Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) CEO Ricardo Ramos requesting assistance in bringing resources to Puerto Rico to support power restoration on the island.

"APPA and members of the public power community were pleased to receive today's letter and the request for additional crews and equipment," said APPA President and CEO Sue Kelly. "We look forward to working with PREPA, our government partners, and the industry to support the ongoing power restoration process."

"EEI and our member companies welcome today's request from PREPA, which now allows our industry on the mainland to fully support the critical power restoration efforts underway in Puerto Rico," said EEI President Tom Kuhn. "We are already working with our member companies to mobilize crews, equipment, and technical experts in response to today's letter."

"Hurricane Maria caused historic damage to Puerto Rico, and considerable logistical issues remain," said Kelly. "We know that restoring power to Puerto Rico will be challenging. As the letter outlines, extensive portions of the transmission network in Puerto Rico run through rugged, mountainous terrain with little or no road access. Much of the infrastructure will need to be rebuilt before power can be restored. While this is not a typical restoration process, we are fully committed to overcoming those challenges and bringing our experience and resources to Puerto Rico."

"EEI looks forward to working with our member companies, APPA and our industry and government partners, and the PREPA team to accelerate the restoration mission and to restore power as quickly and safely as possible to our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico," added Kuhn.

Read the EEI and APPA response to PREPA's letter.

APPA is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide. APPA represents public power before the federal government to protect the interests of the more than 49 million people that public power utilities serve and the 93,000 people they employ. Our association advocates and advises on electricity policy, technology, trends, training, and operations. Our members strengthen their communities by providing superior service, engaging citizens, and instilling pride in community-owned power.

EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for 220 million Americans, and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As a whole, the electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the United States. In addition to our U.S. members, EEI has more than 60 international electric companies, with operations in more than 90 countries, as International Members, and hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members. Organized in 1933, EEI provides public policy leadership, strategic business intelligence, and essential conferences and forums.

SOURCE Edison Electric Institute