Puerto Rico Senate Vice President Larry Seilhamer and Minority Leader Eduardo Bhatia introduced a bill to the U.S. Senate which proposes a regulatory framework and energy policy to transform Puerto Rico’s energy sector and strengthen the island’s resilience.
The bill would end Puerto Rico Electric Power (Prepa)’s monopoly, and allow “a robust, accessible and efficient system” for bidding power companies, said Senator Seilhamer. It would provide a strong regulatory framework, and policies which include the goal to generate renewable energy only by 2050.
This bipartisan bill, which is the result of extensive public and stakeholder consultation, emphasises the importance of transitioning to renewables, defining all the responsibilities of all energy providers, which would be overseen by Puerto Rico’s Energy Bureau. This regulatory agency would have more power to impose sanctions, and would benefit from operational and fiscal autonomy.
