Whitefish Energy
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Energy |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Founder | Andy Techmanski |
| Headquarters | Whitefish, Montana , United States |
| Products | Installation, upkeep, and repair of electrical grid systems |
Whitefish Energy Holdings, LLC (operating as Whitefish Energy) is a modest holding company located in Whitefish, Montana, focused on the installation, upkeep, and repair of electrical grid systems. Established in 2015 by former lineman Andy Techmanski, the company’s largest contract before 2017 was valued at $1.4 million. In October 2017, Whitefish secured a $300 million no-bid agreement with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) to restore power infrastructure following Hurricane Maria. This contract was subsequently revoked amid public backlash concerning excessive charges and subcontracting methods; Whitefish billed PREPA at rates significantly above industry standards while compensating subcontracted laborers at much lower wages.
History
Andy Techmanski, a seasoned professional in the energy sector, founded Whitefish Energy Holdings in 2015. The company received financial backing from Dallas-based HBC Investments, Flat Creek Capital Management, and Comtrafo Transformers from Brazil. In 2016, Comtrafo acquired a controlling 51% interest in Whitefish.
Hurricane Maria controversy
After Hurricane Maria struck in September 2017, PREPA awarded Whitefish a no-bid contract worth as much as $300 million to repair the electrical grid, including an initial payment of $3.7 million. Questions arose about the contract approval process: although it indicated Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) endorsement, FEMA denied involvement and raised concerns regarding PREPA’s procurement procedures and pricing due to the absence of competitive bidding. Nevertheless, Puerto Rico’s governor had issued an executive order that suspended conventional contracting protocols under the declared state of emergency.
The agreement prohibited government audits of labor expenses and profit margins—critical for regulatory oversight—prompting transparency concerns. PREPA chose Whitefish over mutual aid agreements with mainland utilities, citing advantages related to cost and logistics; notably, Whitefish did not require a $25 million bid bond and handled worker accommodations and material transportation.
The company’s small scale attracted scrutiny: prior to this contract, its largest job was a $1.3 million electrical upgrade in Arizona, and it employed only two people when Hurricane Maria occurred. HBC Investments, Whitefish’s principal investor, is connected to Joe Colonnetta, a significant contributor to President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign. CEO Techmanski also maintains personal links with Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke; both hail from Whitefish, Montana.
In contrast to established contractors such as Fluor Corporation—which received a $240 million contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—Whitefish’s agreement was substantially larger despite its limited track record.
Whitefish mobilized roughly 300 workers—mainly subcontractors from public utilities including Jacksonville Electric Authority, Kissimmee Utility Authority, and Lakeland Electric—to repair approximately 100 miles of transmission lines. This subcontracting circumvented typical mutual aid arrangements and reportedly incurred higher expenses; additional labor costs were up to ten times greater than PREPA’s own personnel expenses. The company later estimated that over 1,000 workers would be involved in the project.
A November 2017 report by The New York Times disclosed that Whitefish billed PREPA $319 per hour for linemen while paying subcontracted electricians between $42 and $100 per hour. Whitefish justified the premium rates by citing overhead costs and incentives necessary to attract workers under difficult conditions.
On October 29, 2017, Governor Ricardo Rosselló requested that PREPA terminate the contract; the board complied shortly thereafter. PREPA’s executive director cautioned that canceling the agreement might delay restoration efforts by up to twelve weeks. Following these events, the FBI initiated an investigation into how the contract was awarded.
Separately, French America Line claimed collaboration with Whitefish for hurricane relief operations using its vessel Louisiane, which had been docked since 2016. The cruise company faced allegations of defrauding customers under the pretense of providing disaster assistance.