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- DOE backs $861M for Puerto Rico solar and storage project 'Marahu'
DOE backs $861M for Puerto Rico solar and storage project 'Marahu'
Plus: Judge extends litigation stay in utility bankruptcy case, and Power 4 Puerto Rico holds Boricua town hall.
Jillian Melero
October 23, 2024
Project Marahu includes two solar-plus-storage facilities on the southern coast of Puerto Rico in Guayama and Salinas. Coal plants in Guayama have been linked to severe environmental and health issues, including air and water pollution, which have disproportionately affected nearby communities like Salinas, leading to concerns about toxic coal ash exposure.
(Generated by Jillian Melero via DallE ∙ Oct. 22, 2024 at 4:58 p.m.)
As Puerto Rico’s gubernatorial election and the U.S. presidential election draw near, Puerto Rico’s political leadership, allies, and energy futures are trending topics of conversation among local and federal candidates and campaigns.
Around mid October, the U.S. Department of Energy approved an $861 million loan guarantee for Puerto Rico’s largest solar and battery storage project to date, but it also raises questions about local control over energy policy.
Earlier in the month, a judge extended the litigation stay in the bankruptcy case of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), providing more time for negotiations but further delaying much needed investments in renewable energy and grid modernization.
And last week, Power 4 Puerto Rico, a coalition of advocacy organizations, hosted its first “Boricua Town Hall” focused on the impacts of local and national elections, and the power of diaspora voters in the U.S. to sway policy and demand accountability on behalf of Puerto Rico.
Let’s get into it.