Ranking Member Grijalva Applauds Secretary Granholm for Announcing $450 Million for Rooftop Solar and Storage in Puerto Rico
Washington, D.C. – House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Granholm’s announcement of up to $453.5 million in funding opportunities from the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF). The funding is part of the $1 billion that Ranking Member Grijalva proposed and helped secure in last year’s omnibus funding bill for rooftop solar and battery storage for low-income households and households with disabilities.
“As I saw during my visit to Puerto Rico last month, this funding will not only make a huge difference in the lives of people on the island—it will quite literally save lives,” Ranking Member Grijalva said. “Having a resilient, reliable source of solar power means that when a hurricane hits, people with ventilators and dialysis machines can stay home, lessening the pressure on hospitals and the grid. I want to thank Energy Secretary Granholm for getting this funding out the door quickly and will continue to work with her and the Department to make sure it gets to those who need it most.”
DOE also announced a $7.4 million Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant, which will help modernize Puerto Rico’s electric grid and make it more resilient in the face of increasing extreme weather events fueled by climate change.
Background
In the aftermath of hurricanes and other natural disasters in recent years, solar power has helped many residents and businesses in Puerto Rico keep the lights on. For those with electric medical devices or medications requiring refrigeration, including people with disabilities, a reliable source of power can be lifesaving.
In October 2022, Ranking Member Grijalva led a 38-member letter to then-Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) requesting federal funding for rooftop solar and battery storage for low-income households and households with disabilities in Puerto Rico.
Following that request, the FY2024 government funding omnibus bill included $1 billion to establish DOE’s PR-ERF to improve the resilience of Puerto Rico’s electric grid by purchasing and installing renewable energy, energy storage and other grid technologies for residents who are low-income or have a disability.
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