How Should Puerto Rico Invest its $1 Billion in Resilience Funds?

Source: Elisa Wood | · MICROGRID KNOWLEDGE· | February 27, 2023

The US Department of Energy seeks stakeholder input on how to fast-track the distribution of $1 billion to build microgrids and other energy resilience projects in Puerto Rico.

The case for microgrids in Puerto Rico became clear five years ago when Hurricane Maria shut down its entire grid and parts of the island had no power for 11 months.

But the pace to bring resilience to the island has been slow, delayed by bureaucracy and lack of funding. Some microgrids were built — largely the result of donations and community sweat — but they are far too few, as subsequent disasters revealed

Now the US Department of Energy plans to change that with the distribution of $1 billion to improve energy resilience in Puerto Rico. Funds are slated to go to microgrids, solar, energy storage and other smart grid technologies.

The DOE’s Grid Deployment Office last week released a request for information (RFI) seeking input on how to design the program. The agency intends to fast-track the program and begin allocating funds this year. Responses to the RFI are due April 21.

The money comes from the FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in December. It is meant to overcome decades of underinvestment in the island’s electrical grid that has jeopardized not only the island’s economy but human life. About 3,000 people died following Hurricane Maria in 2017.