Puerto Rico Governor Promises Power Relief

San Juan: Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González pledged Thursday to improve electricity generation and address worsening water shortages across the island during her annual address to residents.

Speaking amid continued frustration over chronic blackouts and infrastructure failures, González said a bidding process is underway to add 3,000 megawatts of new power generation capacity to Puerto Rico’s electrical system.

She said contracts for the new generation projects are expected to be awarded by late summer.

In addition, González announced that nearly 1,000 megawatts of power will be incorporated into the system over the coming months as crews continue repairing and modernizing aging power plants.

The governor noted that 100 megawatts are enough to provide electricity for roughly 60,000 families.

“With more megawatts in the system, we can reduce outages,” González said during her address.

Puerto Rico’s electrical system has struggled for years following the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, which destroyed much of the island’s power grid when it struck in September 2017 as a Category 4 storm.

However, experts have long noted that the system was already deteriorating before the hurricane due to years of insufficient maintenance and limited investment.

Battery Projects and Natural Gas Plans

González also said work has begun to install Tesla battery systems financed through more than $700 million in federal funding.

According to the governor, the battery systems are expected to help stabilize the electrical grid and reduce outages by adding approximately 430 megawatts of storage capacity.

She added that 244 megawatts of temporary power generation plants intended to operate during periods of high electricity demand have already arrived on the island.

The governor reiterated her support for converting Puerto Rico’s power plants to natural gas as part of efforts to lower energy costs.

“I want to reduce the cost of power in Puerto Rico,” González said.

According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Puerto Rico had the fifth-highest average electricity prices in the United States and territories in 2024, behind Hawaii, California, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Criticism Over Federal Funds and Luma Contract

González has recently faced criticism after supporting a decision by the Trump administration to redirect $350 million in federal funding that had originally been designated for rooftop solar panels and battery systems for approximately 12,000 low-income families.

The funds are now being invested into Puerto Rico’s broader electrical grid infrastructure instead.

The governor also renewed her promise to cancel the multimillion-dollar contract awarded to Luma Energy, the private company responsible for electricity transmission and distribution across Puerto Rico.

Luma has faced widespread criticism from residents and political leaders as outages continue to affect homes and businesses throughout the island.

In response to González’s comments, Luma released a statement asserting that improvements to the transmission and distribution system are already visible.

The company said reconstruction and modernization work would continue as long as federal funding remains available.

Meanwhile, Puerto Rico’s Electric Power Authority continues struggling to restructure more than $9 billion in debt.

Water Infrastructure Problems Continue

Beyond electricity, González acknowledged that Puerto Rico continues facing serious challenges involving water infrastructure.

A growing number of communities across the island have reported prolonged interruptions in water service in recent months.

“I don’t intend to console anyone,” González said while asking residents for patience as reconstruction projects move forward.

Following the nearly two-hour speech, opposition leaders criticized the governor’s handling of the island’s infrastructure crisis.

Pablo José Hernández, Puerto Rico’s representative in Congress and a member of the Popular Democratic Party, released a video message saying residents’ frustration and anger over the ongoing situation were justified.