Friend,

There is an ongoing energy crisis in Puerto Rico, as communities experience high-cost and low-reliability service. To solve this crisis, our government needs to both support financial relief for the region’s extreme energy costs and invest in creating reliable energy, through expanding renewable energy sources.

Debt Relief
Puerto Ricans’ median household income is less than one-third of the median income across the United States, yet Puerto Ricans pay 8% of their household income on energy costs, compared to the U.S.’s 2.4% average. Their rates will go even higher if the country’s energy debt plan is left as-is. The raise in rates will balloon individual and small business bills creating undue financial hardship with the potential to shutter 12,000 small businesses and cost the economy 25,000 jobs.

In June, I introduced a resolution urging the Board to restructure Puerto Rico’s Electric Power Authority and prevent any rate increases for Puerto Rican households and businesses. Our plan would not shift PREPA’s financial burdens to the people of Puerto Rico.

Reliable, Renewable Energy
Puerto Rico’s electric grid, controlled by PREPA, is rated in the bottom quartile for performance, experiencing more frequent and longer outages, when compared to peer utilities. The entire grid was knocked out during 2017’s Hurricane Maria, and ongoing emergencies have prevented the needed investment, repair, and transformation to provide reliable energy across the Territory. PREPA’s energy relies too heavily on fossil fuels. Their goal of running on 100% renewable energy by 2050 is too far off, and likely optimistic as they currently only run 3% of their energy from renewables.

We must move away from centralized power, and invest in the development of community-centered renewable energy. Communities in Puerto Rico, like the mountain town of Adjuntas, are experiencing the benefits of this. Households are saving money, and key businesses in towns are able to maintain power through major weather events, giving the community a lifeline to needed services.

Sign our petition to support affordable and reliable energy for the people of Puerto Rico [[link removed]]

Puerto Rico is a Territory of the United States; they are controlled by our government, yet are not represented in it. As long as I am a member of the House of Representatives, I will never leave Puerto Ricans behind.

Nydia

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