The Department of Energy (DOE) has extended emergency orders aimed at supporting the restoration and strengthening of Puerto Rico’s electric grid. These orders, first issued in May 2025, have enabled local authorities to implement essential repairs to the island’s power infrastructure.
“A reliable and secure power grid is essential for modern life, and the residents of Puerto Rico deserve solutions now. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we are able to take action, moving from years of instability toward measurable, lasting progress,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “By extending these orders, DOE is ensuring critical work continues, urgent energy 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 expressed support for the extension: “I thank Secretary Wright and strongly support the Department of Energy’s extension of the 202(c) emergency orders for Puerto Rico, which have provided needed flexibilities to maintain sufficient power generation capacity and conduct vegetation control activities along critical transmission lines. The Trump Administration’s close collaboration and commitment to stabilize and rebuild our power grid has been unprecedented and is already yielding results,” she said. “I look forward to building on this momentum and continue partnering with President Trump and Secretary Wright as we strengthen Puerto Rico’s electrical system and ensure an affordable, reliable, and secure supply of energy for the island’s 3.2 million Americans.”
Puerto Rico’s electric grid has suffered from long-term underinvestment, deferred maintenance, financial difficulties faced by its utility owner PREPA, as well as damage from natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes. Efforts to fully restore reliability will be ongoing over several years.
As part of preparations for peak hurricane season—a period when severe weather can further threaten electricity supply—the DOE extended two section 202(c) emergency orders under the Federal Power Act. One order directs PREPA to keep necessary generation units online to meet demand; another allows continued vegetation management along key transmission corridors. Both extensions take effect August 15 through November 12.
On May 16, 2025, DOE originally authorized PREPA via these emergency powers both to operate specific generation assets as needed over a 90-day period and perform additional vegetation clearing measures intended to reduce outages caused by falling trees or branches.
The DOE stated it will maintain cooperation with Governor González-Colón and other stakeholders as it seeks long-term improvements in Puerto Rico’s electricity network.
