EEI Thanks President Trump for Extending Critical Federal Funding to Support Power Restoration Efforts in Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Edison Electric Institute (EEI) President Tom Kuhn released the following statement on President Trump's decision today to extend for 60 days the 100-percent federal cost share originally authorized in September in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

"EEI and its member companies applaud President Trump and his administration for taking action to ensure that the significant progress that is being made to restore power in Puerto Rico continues. As of today, our industry crews and restoration partners have restored power to more than 86 percent of all customers across the island.

"In early January, nearly 1,500 restoration workers and support personnel from many EEI member companies deployed to Puerto Rico. These mutual assistance crews joined the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its contractors, and a contingent from New York State already working on the island. As part of this highly unique deployment, more than one thousand bucket trucks and other equipment had to be barged to Puerto Rico.

"Mutual assistance is truly the hallmark of our industry, and I am proud that EEI member companies and our entire industry, working through our trade partners at the American Public Power Association and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, have been involved in this unprecedented response.

"Strong industry-government coordination is critical to our efforts in Puerto Rico, and we are pleased that the Trump administration continues to recognize the value that electric company crews from the mainland are playing in this historic and extremely complex power restoration effort.

"Challenging work remains, particularly in the most remote and hardest-hit areas, and our crews will continue to work safely and as quickly as possible to restore power to the customers who are still in the dark."

EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for about 220 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.

SOURCE Edison Electric Institute