Education
Josué Colón Ortiz earned a BS in mechanical engineering from theCareer
Colón has worked in both government and academic roles within the field of electrical engineering.PREPA
Colón joined PREPA in 1988 after earning a degree in mechanical engineering, holding roles in maintenance, project administration, and system management. He contributed to grid modernization efforts, including the integration of natural gas and renewables, and oversaw projects at the Palo Seco and Costa Sur plants. He served as PREPA’s Generation Director from 2010 to 2012 and as executive director from 2012 to 2013, returning to the latter role in 2021. Between these positions, he served as an energy consultant for public and private organizations.Public-Private Partnership Authority
He also serves as the head of the Public-Private Partnership Authority (P3A), appointed by Governor Jenniffer González Colón. In this position, he is responsible for addressing issues within Puerto Rico’s energy sector, including frequent power outages and the financial instability of electricity providers.. To mitigate anticipated power shortages in the summer of 2025, Colón Ortiz initially pursued a plan to deploy liquefied natural gas (LNG) barges off the coast. This approach was considered unconventional, as land-based generation and renewable energy alternatives were available. After several months, the strategy was abandoned in favor of installing 800 megawatts of land-based generation. It remains uncertain whether this infrastructure will be operational in time to reduce outages. Colón has also addressed liquidity problems facing the island’s electricity providers. In public statements and a formal letter, he blamed these problems on alleged financial mismanagement by private operators. During his time at PREPA, a 2020 audit by the Puerto Rico Office of the Comptroller reported significant financial mismanagement and lapses in accountability under his leadership. Specific findings included the 2012 cancellation of the Vía Verde gas pipeline project, with the audit noting irregularities in contracting processes that were not addressed under his leadership. The audit also examined canceled conversions of power generation units, with over $85 million spent on projects that were never completed. The report concluded there was inadequate documentation of board decisions on major energy projects between 2009 and 2012, a period overlapping with Colón Ortiz’s time in charge. In response to the audit, Colón stated that he was not informed of the board’s criteria for suspending certain projects, and he defended the projects as necessary for lowering energy costs and meeting regulatory requirements.PREPA audit
Puerto Rico's Office of the Comptroller audited PREPA’s capital improvement projects from 2010-2018. According to the audit report, during Colón’s tenure as executive director, several large projects were canceled which contributed to substantial financial losses. For example, the Vía Verde Project was officially canceled in October 2012 under his leadership. Although most contracts for the project were established before his tenure, his administration continued authorizing payments without confirming a proper contractual basis or compliance with applicable regulations. The audit found serious deficiencies in the contracting process, including failure to solicit proposals from at least three professionals and Colón not seeking board approval for contracts exceeding $500,000.INFORME DE AUDITORÍA CP-21-01Energy Czar
As the energy czar, Colón is responsible for overseeing Puerto Rico’s energy sector amid an ongoing power-supply crisis. His duties include supervising Genera PR, which manages electricity generation, and LUMA Energy, which handles transmission and distribution. Additionally, he has been tasked with evaluating alternatives for replacing LUMA Energy as the private operator of the island’s electric grid. His appointment was accompanied by an executive order establishing the Office of the Energy Czar, which he leads. He has also been given the authority to influence the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (PREB) and other regulatory agencies. Part of his role includes working with FEMA, the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction, and Resiliency (COR3), and other federal agencies to modernize and rebuild Puerto Rico’s electrical grid.Oversight of private operators
LUMA Energy is the private operator of Puerto Rico’s electricity transmission and distribution system. In June 2021, it took control under a public-private partnership with PREPA, which retained responsibility for generation amid a $9 billion debt crisis. Colón Ortiz oversees LUMA’s activities and coordinates grid reconstruction and modernization across agencies. LUMA has pledged to address grid challenges in coordination with the government, but concerns about its performance have been raised by both Colón and Governor Jenniffer González Colón. In response, Colón barred LUMA from using workers from its parent companies or affiliates in local operations.Position on coal and clean energy
In his position, he has publicly expressed support for continuing coal-fired energy production through 2035, despite an existing policy that mandates coal use to end by 2028. His stance aligns with a 2025 legislative proposal from Governor Jenniffer González Colón, which seeks to eliminate Puerto Rico’s renewable energy targets. The bill would repeal the current law requiring renewable energy to supply 40% of the island’s electricity by 2025 and 60% by 2040. The proposal has faced opposition from environmental groups and health officials, who cite concerns over the health effects of continued coal burning such as Puerto Rico’s high asthma rates and reported increases in cancer cases, particularly in communities near the coal-fired power plant in Guayama. Puerto Rico’s power grid has faced ongoing instability, with outages worsening in recent years, partly due to the lasting impact of Hurricane Maria in 2017. On December 31, 2024, an island-wide blackout left 1.2 million customers without electricity, highlighting the fragility of the system. In response to the crisis, Puerto Rico’s representative in Congress called on U.S. President Donald Trump to declare a federal emergency to address the island’s energy challenges.Controversies
As head of the Public-Private Partnership Authority and energy czar, Colón has aggressively criticized LUMA Energy, openly aiming to terminate its 15‑year contract, citing performance and non-compliance issues. LUMA has rebuked these allegations, accusing Colón of making "unfounded assertions" and claiming no formal non-compliance procedures were ever initiated. Earlier in 2024, while serving as PREPA’s executive director, he accused LUMA of “glaring inefficiencies,” publicly blaming them for continuing outages and poor grid performance. These actions have fueled public controversy, creating tensions between the government and private operators, and breaking down trust in Puerto Rico’s transition to public-private energy management.References
External links
* Josué A. Colón Orti