Puerto Rico's governor wants Montana utility contract canceled immediately - East Idaho News
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Puerto Rico’s governor wants Montana utility contract canceled immediately

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Courtesy CNN

(CNN Money) — The governor of Puerto Rico wants the island’s power authority to “immediately” cancel its controversial contract with a small Montana-based utility company.

At issue is a $300 million contract that was awarded to Whitefish Energy to help restore power to parts of hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.

Whitefish is only two years old and had few employees before Hurricane Maria hit. But it also is based in the small hometown of U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, which has raised questions. Zinke has said he had nothing to do with the contract.

A White House spokesman told CNN the decision to give the contract to Whitefish was made exclusively by PREPA.

“The White House is not aware of any federal involvement in the selection,” White House spokesman Raj Shah said.

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello on Sunday said questions raised around the contract are “interfering with everything” and the distractions are not helping Puerto Rico rebuild.

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