SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) 鈥� A private company that oversees the transmission and distribution of power in countersued the U.S. territory鈥檚 government on Tuesday.
accused the government of acting 鈥渋n bad faith and with intentional malice to the detriment of the public interest.鈥�
It also accused the government of using its power 鈥渢o illegally try to fulfill a campaign promise.鈥�
The countersuit comes six months after in its first step to try and cancel its multimillion-dollar contract with the company, something has repeatedly promised to do.
At the time, Gonz谩lez said that Puerto Rico鈥檚 electrical system had not improved with the speed, consistency or effectiveness promised.
The lawsuit is the latest wrinkle to hit an island struggling with and a crumbling power grid that was razed by in September 2017. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico鈥檚 Electric Power Authority , unable to restructure more than $9 billion in public debt.
Luma asserted it would be owed billions of dollars if its contract is terminated, including at least $4.5 billion in damages.
A spokesperson for Puerto Rico鈥檚 Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Luma is a consortium made up of Calgary, Alberta-based Atco and Quanta Services Inc. of Houston. It took over the transmission and distribution of power in Puerto Rico in June 2021, inheriting infrastructure that was crumbling after decades of neglect and mismanagement under Puerto Rico鈥檚 power company.
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