CNE – Centro Para Una Nueva Economía – Center for a New Economy
Non-profit, economic research and policy development organization
With the debt restructuring over and federal reconstruction funds flowing, Puerto Rico has a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We argue that turning its economy around requires a modern industrial policy built on publicā€“private collaboration.
After the 2024 summer blackouts, we assess each process in Puerto Ricoā€™s energy transformation, from grid reconstruction and PREPAā€™s debt to the LUMA and Genera contracts.
Reaching 100% renewable generation by 2050 is worth pursuing, but it will be complicated, expensive and full of tradeoffs. Drawing on the DOEā€™s PR100 Study, we lay out the costs, the economic impact and the risks Puerto Rico must manage.
Since 1982, Puerto Rico has received nutrition assistance through a capped block grant with lower benefits and stricter eligibility than SNAP. We argue Congress should use this Farm Bill to transition Puerto Rico to SNAP now.
The DOEā€™s PR100 summary shows Puerto Rico can reach 100% renewable generation by 2050, but every scenario involves tradeoffs between cost, resilience and land use. We outline the scenarios, their policy implications and the questions decision-makers still need to answer.
PREPAā€™s operational and financial restructuring, the rebuilding of the grid and a new Integrated Resource Plan are converging at a critical moment. We assess each process and warn that disputes over natural gas and rooftop versus utility-scale solar are delaying the transition.
We analyze the agreement under which Genera PR will operate, maintain and eventually decommission PREPAā€™s legacy power plants. It offers better protections than the LUMA contract, but its projected savings are thin and poorly supported.
Puerto Rico faces a Medicaid funding cliff every 18 months or so because of a low, arbitrary federal cap. We welcome a proposed five-year fix but argue it still falls short of parity with the states.
