The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has extended emergency orders aimed at stabilizing Puerto Rico’s fragile electric grid, ensuring critical restoration and resilience work continues through the peak summer demand and hurricane season.
The orders, first issued in May under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, authorize the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) to operate generation units needed to maintain grid reliability and conduct vegetation management along transmission lines. The extensions take effect August 15, 2025, and will remain in place until November 12, 2025.
“Reliable power is essential for modern life, and the residents of Puerto Rico deserve solutions now,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “By extending these orders, DOE is ensuring that urgent reliability needs are addressed and the grid is more prepared to withstand the most demanding stretch of hurricane season for the 3.2 million Americans who call Puerto Rico home.”
Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón welcomed the move, calling the emergency orders vital for maintaining power capacity and stabilizing the grid. “The Trump Administration’s close collaboration to rebuild our power system has been unprecedented and is already yielding results,” she said. “We look forward to building on this momentum to ensure an affordable, reliable, and secure energy supply for the island.”
Puerto Rico’s electrical system has long suffered from decades of underinvestment, the bankruptcy of the system owner, and damage caused by hurricanes and earthquakes. Federal officials acknowledged that full recovery will take years but emphasized that the current emergency measures are essential to sustaining progress.
DOE said it will continue working with the Puerto Rican government and other stakeholders to strengthen the grid, improve resilience, and ensure reliable access to electricity during the critical months ahead.
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