Press Releases
12/04/2021
AVANGRID Files Defamation and Tortious Interference Lawsuit Against Security Limits for Using False Allegations to Seek to Extort the Company
Orange, CT - Dec. 4, 2021 - Today, AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE:AGR), a leading sustainable energy company, filed suit in New Mexico against Security Limits, Inc. and its owner and CEO Paulo Silva for defamation and tortious interference. In the suit, AVANGRID lays out how Silva, a disgruntled former AVANGRID Networks sub-contractor, interjected himself into the merger review process between AVANGRID and PNM Resources in New Mexico after AVANGRID rebuked his threats to do so if AVANGRID would not agree to enter into a new contract with him.
Security Limits’ Silva is using the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC) merger review process as part of an effort to extort AVANGRID. His claims are being echoed by the lone opponent to the merger, New Energy Economy (NEE), in efforts to have the merger be denied by the PRC.
Despite his criticisms of AVANGRID, Silva has touted and continues to tout his affiliation with AVANGRID on his LinkedIn page https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulosilva-cybersecurity/
Under New Mexico Statutes Section 30-16-9 (2020), Extortion is defined, in relevant part, as follows:
Extortion consists of the communication or transmission of any threat to another by any means whatsoever with intent thereby to wrongfully obtain anything of value or to wrongfully compel the person threatened to do or refrain from doing any act against his will. Any of the following acts shall be sufficient to constitute a threat under this section:
- a threat to do an unlawful injury to the person or property of the person threatened or of another;
- a threat to accuse the person threatened, or another, of any crime;
- a threat to expose, or impute to the person threatened, or another, any deformity or disgrace;
- Whoever commits extortion is guilty of a third-degree felony.
“At the PRC public comment in August, while decrying the purported corruption within Iberdrola and AVANGRID and making false, outrageous statements, Silva was just five days earlier desperately trying to secure additional contracts with AVANGRID and its companies,” said Robert Kump, AVANGRID President and Deputy CEO.
According to AVANGRID’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel R. Scott Mahoney, “AVANGRID will vigorously defend itself against the meritless allegations and claims made by Security Limits and echoed by NEE.” Mahoney added, “In fact, AVANGRID has previously reviewed unsubstantiated allegations made by Silva’s company Security Limits and sent it a cease-and-desist letter.”
AVANGRID is pursuing all legal remedies against Security Limits, Silva and anyone that has aided him.
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About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT, with approximately $39 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 7,000 people and has been recognized by Forbes and Just Capital as one of the 2021 JUST 100 companies – a list of America’s best corporate citizens – and was ranked number one within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2021 for the third consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.
About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $40 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs more than 7,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021 and 2022 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2022, AVANGRID ranked second within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2022 for the fourth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.
About Iberdrola: Iberdrola is one of the world's biggest energy companies and a leader in renewables, spearheading the energy transition to a low carbon economy. The group supplies energy to almost 100 million people in dozens of countries. With a focus on renewable energy, smart networks and smart solutions for customers, Iberdrola’s main markets include Europe (Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy and Greece), the United States, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. The company is also present in growth markets such as Japan, Taiwan, Ireland, Sweden and Poland, among others.
With a workforce of nearly 40,000 and assets in excess of €141.7 billion, across the world, Iberdrola helps to support 400,000 jobs across its supply chain, with annual procurement of €12.2 billion. A benchmark in the fight against climate change, Iberdrola has invested more than €130 billion over the past two decades to help build a sustainable energy model, based on sound environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.
