Puerto Rico

U.S. lawmakers demand answers from LUMA Energy regarding Puerto Rico’s failing electric grid

House Democrats in a Friday letter asked the head of Puerto Rico’s electric utility, LUMA Energy, for additional details on staffing levels, expenditures, executive compensation and a stretch of power outages that have occurred since the company took over grid operations from the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) this summer. Source

The battle for solar power in Puerto Rico

Campaigners say rooftop solar and storage system should be rolled out more widely to tackle Puerto Rico’s energy crisis and the global climate emergency – both of which are exacerbating racialized health inequalities, as reported by The Guardian.   Source

Puerto Rico wants clean energy. Will the Biden administration listen?

In rebuilding the electric grid, FEMA should push to ditch fossil fuel infrastructure and shift to solar and batteries instead, write Yesenia Rivera, Director of energy diversity and inclusion at Solar United Neighbors and Ruth Santiago a member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a clean, equitable and […]

LUMA Energy says grid stabilization work has begun

Following a power outage that affected more than 100,000 people across Puerto Rico, LUMA Energy said it had begun work to stabilize the island’s grid, El Vocero reported. Source (in Spanish)

Infrastructure deal could significantly improve life in U.S. territories, Puerto Rico

On August 11, the Senate voted 69-30 for HR 3684—a landmark piece of bipartisan infrastructure legislation. Allotting $1.2 trillion to long-term infrastructure improvements, it represents a comprehensive national plan for revamping the United States’s transport, water, energy, housing, and internet systems. The promises created by the new infrastructure deal hold immense relevance for the US […]

Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands closer to getting $2 billion for electric grid repairs

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development published a federal register notice for $1.93 billion in electrical grid funding, outlining the rules and regulations governing its use. The money is meant to help the electrical system become more resistant to future storms and climate change, as well as emit less carbon dioxide. It also requires […]

Puerto Rico Energy Bureau OKs $1.2B in electrical infrastructure projects

The Puerto Rico Energy Bureau has approved $1.2 billion to be used for all electrical infrastructure projects included in the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority’s (PREPA) 10-year infrastructure plan.   Source

MPC Energy Solutions invests in cogeneration in Puerto Rico

MPC Energy Solutions N.V. has signed the acquisition of a 3.4 MW Combined Heat and Power (CHP) project in Puerto Rico. The project will sell the produced heat and power under a 12-year USD-denominated energy service agreement to an unnamed pharmaceutical company. Source

Private company takes over Puerto Rico power utility service

Luma Energy, a private company, has taken over Puerto Rico’s power authority. The takeover under a 15-year contract coincided with the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season, with many across Puerto Rico worried about the transition and whether the new company can handle a severe storm. The U.S. territory is still struggling to recover from […]