The Department of Energy (DOE) has extended emergency orders aimed at improving Puerto Rico’s electric grid, allowing ongoing efforts to address longstanding reliability issues to continue through the summer peak demand season.
The original orders, issued in May 2025, enabled Puerto Rico’s government to make repairs and upgrades to its fragile power infrastructure. By extending these directives, the DOE intends for critical work on grid reliability and resilience to progress during a period when electricity demand is typically highest.
“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 her 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 years of deferred maintenance, limited investment, bankruptcy by its system owner PREPA (Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority), as well as severe hurricanes and earthquakes. Recovery efforts are expected to span several years but recent actions are seen as important steps toward improved stability.
The DOE’s extension includes two emergency orders under section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act: one instructs PREPA to keep dispatching necessary generation units in order to maintain adequate electricity supply; another requires continued vegetation management along key transmission lines in order to prevent outages caused by overgrowth. Both extensions will be effective from August 15 through November 12, 2025.
On May 16, 2025, DOE first authorized PREPA via these emergency powers—allowing specified generation units’ operation under certain conditions for a period of 90 days—and directed vegetation control activities intended to keep crucial transmission lines operational.
The DOE stated it will continue working with Governor González-Colón and other stakeholders in efforts aimed at strengthening Puerto Rico’s electric infrastructure.
