The Puerto Rico Grid Revitalization Forum (PR-GRID) went virtual for 2020, with an online program on July 14-16. This new platform offered new opportunities — for deeper dives, access to more key decision-makers and thought leaders, a more inclusive audience, virtual meet-ups, and expert insights delivered directly to attendees. The biggest benefit? A format that was creatively re-imagined to focus on in-depth conversations with leaders in Puerto Rico’s energy market.

PR-GRID VIRTUAL marked a pivotal moment for the Puerto Rican energy market

Co-hosts New Energy Events and the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association hosted the 3rd Puerto Rico Grid Revitalization & Investment Forum (PR-GRID VIRTUAL) against a backdrop of significant changes in policy and structure which will transform the future of the island’s energy sector.

In a silo, each of the variables impacting the market—Act 17, the IRP, the RSA, the T&D concession—are comprehensible. Together, however, it is unclear which provision and which institution exerts primacy.

If stakeholders and investors need anything, it’s clarity.

No less significant is the need for resiliency, thrown into sharp relief by the recent earthquakes, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the onset of the 2020 hurricane season. How is that need shaping investment decisions, e.g., distributed vs. centralized sources of generation?

PR-GRID VIRTUAL: What were we trying to achieve?

Ultimately, PR-GRID convened the players—state, federal and private sector—in a dynamic and interactive environment, to understand how the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

Additionally, we sought to:

  • Understand the goals set out in Act 17 and explore how best to achieve them
  • Weigh the relative merits of the energy mix options as laid out in the IRP
  • Discuss the implications of PREPA privatization for the grid and for investors
  • Get a complete picture of the regulatory environment and the role of PREB
  • Provide insight for international investors into the matrix of Puerto Rican and federal agencies and where the decision-making lies
  • Provide municipalities and commercial and industrial users with insight into distributed generation solutions, and examples of what has worked
  • Understand how the need for grid resilience is shaping investment in generation and T&D

PR-GRID VIRTUAL: Who attended?

PR-GRID VIRTUAL gathered all the key public sector entities, e.g. PREPA, PREB, the Legislature, FOMB, et al. PR-GRID also gathered large electricity end-users, specifically: municipalities and commercial and industrial entities.

Local and international investors, and providers of equipment and technology, and financial and legal services made up the key constituencies who participated to PR-GRID VIRTUAL.

PR-GRID 2020: Who will you meet?

Want to see who attends? Complete this form to view a list of the speakers and attendees who joined us in San Juan in 2018-19.

PR-GRID 2019 Highlights

Six Key Takeaways from the Puerto Rico Grid Revitalization & Investment Forum (PR-GRID II)

PR-GRID 2019 Photos


About PRMA/Industriales Puerto Rico

The Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association is a non-profit organization established in 1928 with the purpose of uniting all Puerto Rico’s manufacturers and service industries into a strong and effective advocacy body. Today, PRMA is by far the biggest private association of industry leaders representing the interests of the private sector in Puerto Rico. For more information please visit http://industrialespr.org/about/.