EIA provides status update of Puerto Rico power plants

The U.S. Energy Information Administration provided an update of the status of power plants in Puerto Rico.

In September 2017, much of Puerto Rico’s electricity infrastructure was damaged during hurricanes Irma and Maria. As of April 2018, more than 99 percent of the hydro and fossil-fueled (petroleum, natural gas, and coal) power capacity in Puerto Rico was operating. However, about 100 power plants were not operating as of April but are expected to return to service by the end of 2018.

Among those still not at full capacity are onshore wind plants (76 percent of wind capacity), some solar photovoltaic plants (32 percent of solar capacity), and one battery facility (12 percent of battery capacity). Further, one wind and one solar plant are out of service and are not expected to return this year.

The EIA’s report said that since 2009, all new electricity generating capacity added in Puerto Rico is powered by renewable energy technologies including solar photovoltaic, onshore wind, and landfill gas. Also, a few utility-scale batteries were added in 2015 and 2016.

About 80 percent of Puerto Rico’s electricity generating capacity is currently owned by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), which filed for bankruptcy. Puerto Rico’s governor announced in January 2018 that all PREPA assets would be privatized.