The U.S. Department of Energy on Saturday said it renewed two emergency orders aimed at supporting Puerto Rico’s electric grid. The department said the island faces rising electricity demand and reliability challenges.
The orders authorize the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, known as PREPA, to dispatch generation units the department described as essential for maintaining critical generation capacity. They also allow vegetation management to continue. The department said the goals are to reduce outages, strengthen long-term reliability and lower the risk of blackouts.
According to the department, the orders build on earlier actions in 2025 and 2026. It said they will help secure the island’s electricity supply and keep power on in the face of unforeseen conditions.
The department said vegetation management matters because branches and brush that fall can harm transmission lines, trigger widespread outages and possibly start wildfires.
The renewed orders take effect Nov. 8, 2026, and run through Feb. 5, 2027. The department said it will keep working with Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón and local authorities. It said the aim is to give the island’s 3.2 million residents a reliable and secure grid.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in the department’s announcement that the orders ensure critical work moves forward and that reliability challenges are addressed. He said the department is committed to modernizing the grid.
Governor González-Colón said in the same announcement that the department’s Section 202(c) orders “have provided essential flexibilities to increase generation capacity.” She said more work remains and that the emergency authorities will be vital as joint efforts continue.
The announcement did not say how many generation units are covered or where they are located. It also did not say what the orders cost or who pays for the work. It did not describe the specific outages or shortfalls that prompted the renewal.