Puerto Rico continues to rebuild and modernize its energy system, relying upon a mix of federal funding, local initiatives, and infrastructure upgrades to achieve its renewable energy goals.

We’re looking at federal investments in solar energy, community-led resilience plans, and partnerships for new educational programs. There’s a lot happening that will affect how Puerto Ricans access and use renewable energy.

🔋 The U.S. Department of Energy committed $365 million to expand access to solar power and battery systems, with a focus on public housing and healthcare centers.

⚡ LUMA Energy plans to install 1.5 million smart meters to modernize energy management and grid performance in Puerto Rico.

⚖️ New Fortress Energy is facing legal challenges and scrutiny over its natural gas projects in Puerto Rico, with concerns about how its expansion plans align with the island’s renewable energy goals.

🌄 In Castañer, residents are collaborating on a Community Energy Resilience Plan as a model for local energy independence.

👩🏼‍🏫 A new partnership is working to enhance energy education, preparing Puerto Ricans for a growing energy sector.

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced a $365 million initiative to support Puerto Rico’s energy infrastructure by installing solar panels and battery storage systems (Associated Press).

The initiative is part of the DOE's new Programa de Comunidades Resilientes, under the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF).

Four projects have been selected with a focus on public housing, subsidized multi-family properties, and community healthcare facilities. (Energy.gov)

Dynamic Solar Solutions

Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration

Hispanic Federation Inc.

At Connect Puerto Rico, accuracy is our priority. If you spot a factual error in this newsletter, we want to hear from you! Your feedback helps us maintain the high standards you expect and deserve.

Please email us at [email protected] with any corrections or concerns under the subject line “Fact Check” and we’ll review them promptly. Thank you for helping us keep this platform reliable and trustworthy!

LUMA Energy has partnered with Itron, a Washington-based smart meter technology company, to install 1.5 million smart meters over the next three years. The smart meters are meant to detect outages more efficiently, integrate renewable energy sources, and give customers better control over their energy use. (San Juan Daily Star)

Technology & Integration
Itron will supply smart meters and an advanced network platform designed to enhance Puerto Rico's energy infrastructure.

Timeline
Installations begin in the San Juan region, with expansion across the island over the next three years.

No Rate Hikes
LUMA assured customers that the project will not increase energy rates.

Job Creation
The initiative is expected to create over 150 “direct and indirect” jobs.

This month’s newsletter features an ad.
(If you click on the ad for 1440 at the bottom of the newsletter, we get $1.)

New Fortress Energy (NFE) is under fire with legal challenges and growing skepticism about its natural gas ventures. Critics argue that NFE’s lofty claims about Puerto Rico mirror the same exaggerations fueling the shareholder lawsuits. (IEEFA.org)

NFE faces multiple class action lawsuits accusing the company of misleading investors about its "Fast LNG" project in Mexico, including undisclosed delays and costs.

Tripling Gas Usage
NFE predicts Puerto Rico could use 300 trillion British thermal units (TBTU) of natural gas yearly—nearly triple current contracts.

Beyond Demand
This would require 2,960 MW of generation at 80% capacity, exceeding the island's electricity needs.

Unrealistic Assumptions
Projections include pending projects like Palo Seco Mega Gens and overlook the 500 MW EcoElectrica plant already in operation.

NFE’s vision—natural gas as Puerto Rico's primary power source with solar as a supplement—clashes with Puerto Rico's legally mandated goal of 100% renewable energy by 2050.

NFE is a key player in Puerto Rico’s energy sector, serving as a major supplier of natural gas and the parent company of Genera PR, which manages the island’s power generation under a 10-year contract with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA).

This relationship gives NFE significant influence over Puerto Rico’s energy transition but raises questions about how its projects and projections align with the island’s legally mandated goal of 100% renewable energy by 2050.

Want to support Connect Puerto Rico beyond a financial donation? Consider an in-kind contribution! Whether it's your expertise, services, or tools, your generosity can help us build networks, amplify stories, and drive Puerto Rico’s renewable energy future. Reach out to [email protected] with the subject line “In-Kind” to discuss how you can make an impact!

The nonprofit Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) has introduced a Community Energy Resilience Plan for Castañer, a mountain region in Puerto Rico with a population of about 5,500 residents, that has been heavily impacted by power outages. (News is my Business)

Castañer experienced outages 16 times longer than average in 2022. The plan serves as a model for rural communities seeking sustainable energy solutions tailored to local needs. (Microgrid Knowledge)

Existing microgrids

Castañer has two multi-facility microgrids:

The current microgrid serves six local businesses, two vehicle charging stations, and two homes

Plan Development
Developed through a process involving community members, public health sectors, government, academia, farmers, nonprofits, business owners, and private citizens, the plan focuses on increasing energy independence and reducing reliance on Puerto Rico's fragile power grid.

Energy Education and Sustainability

Funding
The initiative is part of the Renewables Advancing Community Energy Resilience (RACER) program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, and involves collaboration with several organizations.

🌟 ICYMI: Before we launched Connect Puerto Rico on beehiiv in September, we ran a prelaunch series on Medium from January through August. In these posts, we explored the key stories and issues shaping Puerto Rico’s transition to renewable energy.

📖 If you haven’t already, take a look here and catch up on our reporting so far. Let us know your thoughts—we’d love to hear from you!

Three organizations are collaborating to promote energy education in Puerto Rico. The collaboration will focus on promoting science education for children and youth, organizing events that highlight women’s contributions to the energy sector, and providing community training to transition the energy system to renewable and distributed sources.

The organizations are The Institute for Competitiveness and Economic Sustainability of Puerto Rico (ICSE, in Spanish), Energy Justice for Puerto Rico (JEPR, in Spanish), and the Criollo Center for Science and Technology of Puerto Rico (C3Tec) (News is my Business).
What to Know

The Initiative
The collaboration focuses on raising awareness about renewable energy and fostering community-based energy solutions.

Goals

Outreach
Efforts will target schools, local organizations, and local communities to broaden understanding and adoption of renewable energy.

Thanks for reading this issue of Connect Puerto Rico! We’d love to hear from you—what did you think of this issue? Have ideas for future coverage? Just reply to this email or connect with us on LinkedIn.

Enjoying the newsletter? Share it with a friend who’s into Puerto Rico or renewable energy. Your referrals mean the world to us!

We’d also love to know why you read Connect Puerto Rico. Tell us why you’re a subscriber, and we may feature it in a future issue or on our website.

Together, we’re working to build a stronger, more sustainable Puerto Rico.