In a dramatic shift in strategy, Energy Secretary Chris Wright has invoked emergency powers to bolster fossil fuel power generation in Puerto Rico.
This move comes in response to a recent island-wide blackout and in anticipation of the summer season. Wright's decision marks a significant departure from the federal government's previous focus on enhancing green energy, such as solar power, to addressing the island's persistent power generation crisis by expanding existing fossil fuel infrastructure.
According to The Washington Free Beacon, Wright issued two orders on Friday. The first instructs the government-owned Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority to ramp up electric power production on the island to maintain grid reliability.
The second mandates the agency to promptly clear overgrown vegetation that poses a risk of shortages and fire. Both orders were issued under the emergency powers granted to the energy secretary by the Federal Power Act.
In conjunction with these orders, the Department of Energy's Grid Deployment Office will review the $365 million in funding that the Biden administration allocated to third-party organizations and companies in December. This funding was intended to facilitate the development of new solar power installations across the island.
The urgency of Wright's actions is underscored by the recent blackout that affected 1.4 million residents and left hundreds of thousands without water, as reported by the Associated Press. This was the second such blackout in less than four months, highlighting the long-standing power supply issues that have plagued Puerto Rico for nearly a decade. The timing of these blackouts, outside of the peak summer demand season, raises further concerns.
"Access to energy is essential for all modern life, yet the current energy emergency jeopardizes Puerto Ricans access to basic necessities," Wright stated. "This system is unsustainable, and our fellow citizens should not be forced to suffer the constant instability and dangerous consequences of an unreliable power grid."
Wright further emphasized the importance of immediate and comprehensive actions under President Trumps leadership. These actions aim to mitigate the greatest threats to the grid and benefit a larger portion of the population, including critical facilities like hospitals and community centers.
Wright's actions were coordinated with the Puerto Rican energy industry and power experts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. They received support from Puerto Rico's governor Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (R.) and energy czar Josue Colon-Ortiz.
Gonzalez-Colon expressed her gratitude to President Trump and Secretary Wright for their leadership and commitment to addressing Puerto Rico's energy emergency. She said, "This administration clearly understands the urgency of the crisis and is utilizing available, existing emergency authorities to put words into action."
She further added, "With today's [emergency] orders, we will have the necessary flexibilities to begin stabilizing our power grid infrastructure and ensure an affordable, secure, and reliable supply of energy for all of Puerto Rico's 3.2 million Americans. Energy is essential for both the well-being of our citizens and the island's economic development, particularly as we seek to attract investment and support the Administration's reshoring initiatives. I look forward to continuing our partnership, because when Puerto Rico thrives, America thrives."
Currently, fossil fuels generate about 93 percent of Puerto Rico's electric power, with petroleum-fired plants providing 62 percent, natural gas-fired plants 24 percent, and coal-fired plants 8 percent. Green energy sources, including solar, wind, hydropower, and biomass, generate a mere 7 percent of the island's power.
Earlier this year, due to Puerto Rico's grid stability crisis and lagging green energy development, Gonzalez-Colon moved to scrap the island's climate mandate that would have required it to generate 40 percent of its power from green sources.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration's $1 billion Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund, designed to mitigate Puerto Rico's grid vulnerabilities via the installation of tens of thousands of rooftop solar and battery storage systems across the island, has failed to deliver as promised.
This fund is now under audit by the Trump administration, marking another chapter in the ongoing saga of Puerto Rico's energy crisis.
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