THE PUERTO RICO PARADOX

FAQS about Puerto Rico newfire energy

Is Puerto Rico facing a critical time to determine its energy future?

Puerto Rico faces a critical time to determine its energy future “Our power goes out in the afternoon, at night, sometimes various times a week,” said a resident. “Our patience is running out.” Víctor Santana installed rooftop solar panels on his home in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Nicole Acevedo / NBC News

Who owns Puerto Rico's power?

They have respectively taken over the island's power transmission and distribution system and its power generation units, which have been owned by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, the bankrupt public corporation that was solely in charge of generating energy on the U.S. territory.

Will Luma rebuild Puerto Rico's power system?

Luma is expected to submit a proposal about how it plans to permanently rebuild Puerto Rico's power system which will go through a public comments period, hearings and approval by the island's Energy Bureau. "Realistically, our system can be rebuilt one more time within our lifetime," Velázquez said.

Should Puerto Rico prioritize rooftop solar?

Puerto Rico should prioritize rooftop solar systems and microgrids to reach its renewable energy goals instead of building large-scale solar farms that might put agricultural and protected lands at risk, according to the study.

Are Puerto Rico's electric rates going up?

Meanwhile, Rojas and other power customers in Puerto Rico have been subjected to seven electric rate increases over the last year, even though people in Puerto Rico already pay about twice as much as mainland U.S. customers.

What happened to Puerto Rico's electric grid before Hurricane Maria?

Even before Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico’s electric grid was well below utility reliability standardswas also allowed to deteriorate due to financial mismanagement, eventually resulting in a 10-billion-dollar bankruptcy in 2017, which today remains unresolved in arbitration.