Edison Electric Institute applauds Trump’s extension of Puerto Rico disaster relief aid

Edison Electric Institute (EEI) President Tom Kuhn recently released a statement thanking President Trump for extending for 60 days the 100-percent federal cost share originally authorized in September for Puerto Rico following 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,” Kuhn said.

EEI noted that power had been restored for 86 percent of customers on the island. Approximately 1,500 restoration workers and support personnel from EEI member companies deployed to Puerto Rico in early January. These 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 in providing disaster relief to the island.

“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,” Kuhn said.

Kuhn noted that, although substantial progress has been made, there is still work to be done.

“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,” Kuhn said. “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.”