Puerto Rico governor under fire as federal funds for solar projects are stalled

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico's governor came under fire Tuesday as her pledge to support the investment of millions of federal dollars in solar projects across the U.S. territory appeared to fade.

More than a week has passed since the U.S. Department of Energy missed a deadline to finalize contracts worth $365 million that would see battery-operated solar systems installed at health clinics and public housing units in Puerto Rico.

Since last month, the department has not been in communication with those awarded the grants, including the nonprofit Hispanic Federation.

''There's been deathly silence,'' said Javier Rúa Jovet, public policy director for Puerto Rico's Solar and Energy Storage Association.

The lack of communication by the federal government comes as Puerto Rico prepares for the Atlantic hurricane season, which starts June 1 and is predicted to be above average, with nine anticipated hurricanes, four of them major.

Puerto Rico already struggles with chronic power outages, including two island-wide blackouts that occurred on Dec. 31 and April 17.

''There are people who really need this help immediately,'' said Frankie Miranda, president and CEO of the Hispanic Federation.

Until recently, Gov. Jenniffer González, a Republican and supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, had backed more than $1 billion appropriated by Congress for solar projects in Puerto Rico, including the $365 million slated for public housing units and health centers, including those that provide dialysis.

But the governor's public affairs secretary, Hiram Torres Montalvo, told Radio Isla on Monday that the governor tried to defend the funds but ultimately withdrew her support for the grant. He said that González has proposed using the funds to improve the generation, transmission and distribution of power, and is focused on ensuring there's enough electricity for the summer months.

''We are extremely surprised and shocked over this development,'' Miranda said in a phone interview. ''We want the governor to reconsider her position and continue to fulfill her word.''

Miranda and others have noted that some $18 billion in federal funds is already slated for the grid.

Neither Torres nor a spokeswoman for the governor returned messages seeking comment.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Energy sent The Associated Press a statement saying that the agency was conducting a department-wide review of grant processes, and that it was working with Puerto Rico's governor and the White House to strengthen the island's grid and ensure that the island has ''reliable, affordable and secure energy.''

''In the wake of recent outages that impacted families, businesses, and critical infrastructure, the Department of Energy remains focused on advancing solutions that provide urgent relief, prevent future disasters, and restore long-term reliable energy access across the island,'' the agency said.

The department did not say whether Puerto Rico's government has formally requested that the funds be reassigned.

More than 60% of energy on the island is generated by petroleum-fired power plants, 24% by natural gas, 8% by coal and 7% by renewables, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The push for more renewable energy comes as crews continue to rebuild Puerto Rico's power grid after Hurricane Maria hit the island in September 2017 as a powerful Category 4 storm. But the grid was already weak before the storm hit given a lack of maintenance and investment for decades.