Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council thanks Trump for extension of Puerto Rico restoration funding

The Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC) recently commended President Trump for his extension of 100 percent cost sharing from the federal government for restoration efforts in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria.

The ESCC is the primary liaison between the federal government and the electric industry regarding threats to critical infrastructure and large-scale incidents.

“Responding to major events like Hurricane Maria requires strong industry-government coordination,” ESCC Co-chair Tom Fanning, chairman, president and CEO of Southern Company, said. “We applaud the action taken today by President Trump and his administration to extend the 100-percent cost sharing by the federal government. This action is an unprecedented show of support by this administration and recognizes that, while significant progress has been made to restore power, more work remains.”

Since Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico in September, the electric power industry and the federal have been working together through the ESCC to restore power on the island. Power has been restored to 86 percent of customers in Puerto Rico as of Feb. 23.

“Our industry’s focus remains squarely on those customers who are still without power,” Fanning said. “While crews continue to face some of the most challenging work of any restoration effort in our nation’s history, particularly in the most remote and hardest-hit areas, they remain steadfast in their commitment to working safely and as quickly as possible to restore power.”