Tornado Alley (PROG)

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The decision to give a contract to Whitefish Energy was made exclusively by Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA)," spokesman Raj Shah said.
"The White House is not aware of any federal involvement in the selection."

PREPA director Ricardo Ramos has praised the work performed by Whitefish so far, saying the company's was the only offer the utility received that did not require a down payment. The power company is $9 billion in debt and was already struggling to provide service amid ongoing power outages before hurricanes Irma and Maria hit last month.

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/white-house-disavows-puerto-rico-contract-with-whitefish-energy-amid-investigations/

In addition to Whitefish, Prepa has contracted with a unit of Oklahoma-based Mammoth Energy Services Inc. to rebuild downed power lines.

“We already have 300 workers on the island and continue to make great progress on our assignments, but others who will play a role need to get here faster and do more,” a Whitefish spokesman said.

Gov. Rosselló said that Prepa reached out to contractors after Hurricane Irma hit and of those Whitefish was the only one that didn’t require substantial cash upfront. The subsequent arrival of Hurricane Maria created a humanitarian crisis that has exacerbated the government’s precarious financial situation.

The governor said he had ordered the island’s Office of Management and Budget to review Prepa’s contracting of repair crews and to report its findings to the Puerto Rico comptroller.

The Puerto Rico Senate president, a member of the governor’s pro-statehood party, said the local comptroller was the proper entity to conduct the investigation. The Senate minority leader has called on Prepa’s executive director to resign.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/puerto-rico-utility-contracting-sparks-new-probes-1509115635

NOTE: WHITEFISH ENERGY GAINED EXPERIENCE IN RESTORING POWERLINES IN THE NORTHWEST, IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN THAT WERE DESTROYED BY FOREST FIRES!