Four months after Maria

Yes prepa is slowing down the work by many different ways and by moving the units to different areas without finishing that area. Some in my opinion is friends of the gobernor to make AEE/PREPA look worse and push for the sale, but a lot of it is total and complete incompetence, specially with such a massive damage.

Lots of private contractors are complaining that they were brought to the island to sit down and get a free check because of no materials and also not being assigned a route/work zone. Not all crews are out and about, a lot are sitting on their hands. It is federal money so the government and prepa are politiking and not trying to get it done fast. Lots of finger pointinng. The crews that are out work hard at 3-5 times the salaries payed to UTIER union employees, so I expect that some may start danaging the work in protest.

Meanwhile around 450,000 (or more) customers of PREPA are still without electricity. 

Gary, no disrespect taken.  No, I'm not on the island, and I'm certainly sympathetic to your struggles.  My point wasn't that things aren't difficult, rather that FEMA operates under statutory and constitutional restraints, as well as physical/geographic difficulties that make disaster assistance a herculean task for them.  You have every right to be upset that power and water haven't been restored.  But that's not due to the lack of desire or commitment on the part of FEMA and the federal government.

In the first place, as Rey has already pointed out, FEMA is statutorily charged with and limited to humanitarian aid and restoration, not improvement of conditions.  They can't run more miles of wire, nor can they bury them when they were above-ground to begin with.  They can't build more power generating plants, they can't build wider roads to replace those that have washed out.  They can't build more water treatment or waste treatment plants, if that would add to pre-existing capacity.  The idea, the hope, that FEMA would solve the island's problems, is misplaced.  I'm not saying that you held out that hope, but clearly many Puerto Rican politicians have either thought that FEMA would solve the island's problems, or they have given the impression that FEMA should solve those problems, and in doing so, shifted blame and created false hopes.

The other issue, and the one most likely leading to your frustration (and that of others suffering) is that the Federal Government must work through the states to accomplish these relief efforts.  Puerto Rico has the ultimate authority (and responsibility) to effect this relief and reconstruction.  FEMA can help, but it can't simply push the government of Puerto Rico aside to make things happen, any more than it could have pushed the government of Florida aside to help in the aftermath of Irene, or the government of Texas after Harvey.  This relationship is known as federalism, and it is the basic structure of our government.  I don't mean to be pedantic here, but these are serious constitutional constraints on the power of the federal government to operate within the states (or territory).

The work to the grid is done by US contractor companies, I don't know if FEMA or PREPA contracted them.

The answer to your question here is precisely the point. The response to the damage to the electrical grid was directed, and is directed, by the government of Puerto Rico.  Because the work is paid for by FEMA, they have an oversight responsibility to verify that the contracts are appropriate, but the decision how to respond, which resources and services to secure, is entirely in the hands of the government of Puerto RIco.  It was the government of Puerto Rico (through it's agency PREPA) that originally decided not to activate the mutual aid agreements and request assistance from the states, but rather to hire contractors (such as Whitefish) to do the work.  Of course PREPA later cancelled that contract and activated the mutual aid agreements, all adding to the delay.  The responsibility for disaster response and reconstruction is in the hands of the states; the federal government pays the bills and offers short-term disaster relief (such as US Navy vessels providing food, water and power), and longer term technical assistance should the state want it.

My friend, I can certainly understand your frustration and your anger.  You have every right to those emotions.  But the responsibility for the failure to restore the grid is the same as the responsibility for the failure to maintain it in the first place --entirely  Puerto Rico's.

Having said this, responsibility for monetary relief to those who suffered is FEMA's, and the island government has no intermediary role to play there.  I know that many are dissatisfied with FEMA's response to damage claims, and that's understandable.  But while it doesn't really make it any easier, it bears noting that FEMA is charged only with restoring, not improving pre-existing conditions, and as such, claims for damages can take a long while as FEMA determines precisely the pre-existing state.  Processing a claim can take quite a bit of time and effort; processing hundred of thousands of claims, on top of claims from Harvey and Irene, would tax any federal agency to the breaking point.

On top of that, a lot of the owners of homes that lost roofs and other damages, do not have ownership of the land (Squatters) while they may have lived there for decades or more, FEMA is not allowed to offer them help other than a loan, a loan that they may nt be able to pay back. Other than votes, I am not sure why PR government did not prevent those homes to be constructed in the first place. Even when some of these owners may own the land a lot of homes do not meet any standards, they were put together by the owners in their own way and with few if any permits. This further complicates things since additional money has to be spend to bring all the homes to current standards (Electric, water, roof supports). It is a messy system held together by chewing gum.

ReyP wrote:

On top of that, a lot of the owners of homes that lost roofs and other damages, do not have ownership of the land (Squatters) while they may have lived there for decades or more

Interesting.. Do you have a link?

Still, with 50,000 temporary roofs installed the USACE reports that this is close to 75% of the approved requests. That means that something like 18,000 (and not 30,000 as I wrote earlier) homes are waiting for their temporary roof  more than four months after the storm...

http://www.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Re … tallation/

While at the USACE site, this is interesting, too: http://www.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Re … erto-rico/

Obviously there's a surge in materials and lineworkers coming in for the power reconstruction so  they opened a couple more yards.
I'm wondering what took whoever or whichever agency is in charge so long to get more material and workers to the island...

Gary wrote:

While at the USACE site, this is interesting, too: http://www.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Re … erto-rico/

Obviously there's a surge in materials and lineworkers coming in for the power reconstruction so  they opened a couple more yards.
I'm wondering what took whoever or whichever agency is in charge so long to get more material and workers to the island...

As I understand it is posted in FEMA rules which I dont have. This was covered extensively in local PR news a month or two ago and I can nt find them.

Along the line see this report where the governor lost 40 days in asking for some of the FEMA help. Help has to be requested by the governor. https://www.elnuevodia.com/english/engl … s-2375651/

From FEMA site:
Before the FEMA inspection, it's important that you know:

An adult 18 or older who lived in the residence before the disaster must be present for the inspection.
That person must have the following documents:
Photo identification;
Proof of ownership and occupancy of the damaged residence such as: property tax bill; mortgage payment bill or receipt, or utility service bill;
Homeowner and vehicle insurance documents;
List of persons living in residence at time of disaster that you compiled; and
List of disaster damage to the home and its contents that you compiled.

I am sure there is more about it here:
https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4339?utm_ … n=disaster

ReyP wrote:

Along the line see this report where the governor lost 40 days in asking for some of the FEMA help. Help has to be requested by the governor. https://www.elnuevodia.com/english/engl … s-2375651/

I didn't read that one before, thanks for the link. So "San Juan" is screwing up, why am I not surprised....

They also did not invoke the mutual assistance prior to the storm, neither shortly after the storm, they instead hired Whitefish, Cobra and others. It was not sometime after 30 days after the storm that they finally invoked it. Services are provided free or at cost by the states, instead of the expensive service if you hire a company.

ReyP wrote:

They also did not invoke the mutual assistance prior to the storm, neither shortly after the storm, they instead hired Whitefish, Cobra and other

Yeah, that was Ramos, the PREPA executive director who was finally fired by Rosello, too late, of course.
Puerto Rico does it better...

Gary,
Sorry to hear your struggles with getting power.
My area of Aguadilla got power at the end of Dec finally.
I've heard lots of things like there are ‘thousands of lineman coming' to continue repairs to the grid and there are 5k new poles waiting to be shipped...

I wonder if this was Hawaii would there be the same holdup to repair things??

Interesting article: The Federal Board is trying to figure out how much money PR has in all the different accounts and if they can not be spend as some of the government groups are stating. Massive accounting incompetency at work. https://www.elnuevodia.com/english/engl … y-2391536/

Additional info about this: https://www.elnuevodia.com/english/engl … s-2391530/

Article: In limbo thousands of people with no home tittle:
https://www.wapa.tv/noticias/locales/en … 21973.html

40 days, I believe

Well, it just shows to go ya;

After four months, we finally have electric power restored to our house!!  I had several feelers out to get the meter mast connected by free lancers that wanted signifant fees to connect it.   But as luck would have it, the power company truck pulled up Saturday afternoon and connected the power for free (which is what they are supposed to do). 

But... guess what, a large break in the local water main, caused by accidental damage by the utility company,  has shut down the municiple water supply!     The water outage is apparently widespread in the area. 

Sitka wrote:

Well, it just shows to go ya;

After four months, we finally have electric power restored to our house!!  I had several feelers out to get the meter mast connected by free lancers that wanted signifant fees to connect it.   But as luck would have it, the power company truck pulled up Saturday afternoon and connected the power for free (which is what they are supposed to do). 

But... guess what, a large break in the local water main, caused by accidental damage by the utility company,  has shut down the municiple water supply!     The water outage is apparently widespread in the area. 

Get a meter reading, pull you last electric bill and compare readings. Keep an eye for the next bill, it will likely be inflated. They are counting on people not taking the time to fight the bill so they can make more money. Remember that the word FRAUD is not applicable to governments, LOL.

mac00677 wrote:

40 days, I believe

you are correct, they failed to officially ask for help for 40 days, not 30 as I stated. Thanks.

It is a shame that so many people had to die and others suffer so the politicians in PR could get their political trills and gains. Shame.

I am in hopes that the media here is true and you get a new power grid.  I am praying for ALL of you.  Gods Will and work be done.

Yes, 40+ days, and they still didn't have their collective sh!*t together. Now, I'm not surprised ***, and their blaiming the current administration, for the lack of response. No mentions of the federal government's lack of confidence, in the local corrupt government. As Nueva Dia stated; the federal government is not going to offer a blank check, to an untrusworthy government; they need to be specific, and to report updates, every thirty days. Are we being discriminated against? Hell, no! Would you allow a shoplifter, unfettered access to your store?

mac00677 wrote:

Yes, 40+ days, and they still didn't have their collective sh!*t together. Now, I'm not surprised by the lib-tards, and their blaiming the current administration, for the lack of response. No mentions of the federal government's lack of confidence, in the local corrupt government. As Nueva Dia stated; the federal government is not going to offer a blank check, to an untrusworthy government; they need to be specific, and to report updates, every thirty days. Are we being discriminated against? Hell, no! Would you allow a shoplifter, unfettered access to your store?

PR had no issue wasting 70 billions with nothing to show for it, if the Feds dont keep a leach on the wallet it will be empty in no time with little to show for it, then begging for more.

Lib-tards!?!?!?! I can't believe the usage of stating lib-tards (meaning liberal retards) is acceptable on here. This was very informative reading for those of us making or considering making the move to Puerto Rico but name calling is definitely uncalled for. Out of respect for others whose political views don't match your own, PLEASE refrain from such derogatory comments.

What is NOT working is making generalized statements like "typical liberal tactics". Again, PLEASE try making a point without the unnecesary name calling and generalized degradation of another's political beliefs.

As of to date, has anyone living in the Aguadilla and Isabela area noticed a change for the better with electric? Stateside I am reading in the news that electric companies have been heading to the states to restore power. However, I am interested in what you guys there have noticed and are experiencing. We may hold off buying if this is still largely an issue where we are looking to buy.

mrtibbs wrote:

As of to date, has anyone living in the Aguadilla and Isabela area noticed a change for the better with electric? Stateside I am reading in the news that electric companies have been heading to the states to restore power. However, I am interested in what you guys there have noticed and are experiencing. We may hold off buying if this is still largely an issue where we are looking to buy.

I'm not in Aguadilla or Isabella, but I'm sure once a certain company's workers have been on the island for the amount of time they were supposed to be out here is up they go home, wether or not the job is done. I have read though, of a utility truck being shot at on the highway.  A video was posted of how one the trucks was covered in bullet holes. I think there was another incident but I can't find the article. This happened in Cidra. https://www.metro.pr/pr/noticias/2018/0 … a-aee.html

In the area I'm in we got power back roughly a month after Maria. Still no bill yet though.

I know of some in Rincon that are still without power.

Oh wow, this is unfortunate horrific news to hear. These desperate times are bringing out the worse in people. Thanks for sharing what you know.

Just heard of an explosion and giant fire in Rio Piedras Monacillo substation. Also San Juant power plant and Palo Seco plants are out also for unknown reason. Most of the north and east of the island is in the dark as I write this.

Most of the city of Aguadilla had the power turned on back in December, although some parts of the city may still be without.
I'll be heading there in the next week or so.

mrtibbs wrote:

Oh wow, this is unfortunate horrific news to hear. These desperate times are bringing out the worse in people. Thanks for sharing what you know.

This dosent surprise me. More often than not you'll hear about a drive by on one of the highways in Bayamón.

Either way, massive outage tonight. Possibly 8-16 hours to fix. Some areas got power back already. Some pictures included in article. http://www.elvocero.com/actualidad/se-r … 268d4.html

Positive development in our neck of the woods:

Gary, poles go up and cables, but sometimes it takes them 10 days to direct electricity to them.
Hope you get it fast.

ReyP wrote:

...sometimes it takes them 10 days to direct electricity to them.

I know... We can handle 10 more days. 

At today's court hearing of the PR bankruptcy, AEE said that they have an emergency plan in place that they may activate tomorrow 2/16/2018 if the judge does not agree to permit the central government to loan AEE 500 million that they need to continue operations. In that event (no loan), they will need to start shutting down production plants and start layoff of personnel as early as Monday and by march could result in a complete shutdown as they would have no money left and most employees would have been layoff.

Most people think this is fear mongering to force the hand of the bankruptcy judge.

No news yet as to what the judge will decide or when.

ReyP wrote:

...they will need to start shutting down production plants and start layoff of personnel as early as Monday and by march could result in a complete shutdown as they would have no money left and most employees would have been layoff.

Wonderful, just wonderful...

One the US linemen told me that they (and a lot of other contractors) might leave the island next week. There seem to be problems with the contract that Fluor has and if they don't find a solution this week Fluor and the companies they subcontracted will (have to) go.

It's such a mess.

Gary wrote:

ReyP wrote:

...they will need to start shutting down production plants and start layoff of personnel as early as Monday and by march could result in a complete shutdown as they would have no money left and most employees would have been layoff.

Wonderful, just wonderful...

One the US linemen told me that they (and a lot of other contractors) might leave the island next week. There seem to be problems with the contract that Fluor has and if they don't find a solution this week Fluor and the companies they subcontracted will (have to) go.

It's such a mess.

Update: The judge turned down the loan request. AEE wanted 1.3 billion loan, the PROMESA board instead requested 1 billion, the judge said no way. Told them to submit again for 300 million or less and have a plan of how the money will be spend for consideration.

This is a loan on top of the 9 billion debt they can not pay. The 1 billion to come out of PR central government this time which is asking for loans and help, go figure.

One way or another, they have yet another reason to not do their job: providing electricity..

Ponce just went thru 4 days of no water. A main pipe broke at the filtration plant. The pipe was repaired it two days and then  they found another part broken so another two days were added. Life in the tropics.