Mary Carmen Zapata criticizes Josué Colón over failed AEE contract

Mary Carmen Zapata Acosta, the former executive director of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (AEE), testified before the House Government Committee regarding a failed $5.9 billion temporary power generation contract with Power Expectations.

Zapata Acosta characterized the supervision style of Energy Czar and head of the Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority, Josué Colón Ortiz, as “dictatorial.” She alleged that Colón Ortiz bypassed her by giving instructions directly to employees and intentionally withheld critical information regarding the Power Expectations controversy.

Zapata testified that had she been informed of certain irregularities, such as claims that a party had not authorized the use of their signature, she would not have signed the contract. She confirmed that Colón Ortiz was aware of every stage of the adjudication process through regular communication via text and Telegram.

Due to the sensitivity of the matter, Zapata has referred the case to several agencies for investigation, including the Department of Justice, the FBI, the Office of Government Ethics, the Comptroller, the Office of the Inspector General, the General Services Administration, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).