The U.S. Department of Energy recently renewed two emergency orders to further strengthen Puerto Rico’s electric grid as the island prepares for rising energy demand and the upcoming 2026 hurricane season.
Building on previous actions in 2025 and early 2026, the renewed emergency orders authorize the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority to dispatch generation units essential for maintaining critical generation capacity, while continuing vegetation management to reduce outages, strengthen long-term grid reliability, and minimize the cost of blackouts, DOE said.
“I welcome the Department of Energy’s issuance of the Section 202(c) emergency orders for Puerto Rico, which have been instrumental in stabilizing our grid and increasing generation capacity. These orders have literally kept the lights on, and I could not be more grateful to President Trump and Secretary Wright for their steadfast support for the island’s 3.2 million Americans. I look forward to our continued partnership as we take additional measures to strengthen and modernize Puerto Rico’s electric system,” said Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón.
The renewed orders are in effect beginning on May 12, 2026, through August 9, 2026.
