Washington — A coalition of U.S. senators and Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pablo Hernández has denounced the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for what they call an illegal cancellation of energy projects under the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF). The lawmakers sent a letter to the DOE, demanding the reinstatement of the canceled awards and accusing the agency of undermining congressional intent.

Illegal Cancellation of Energy Projects

Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pablo Hernández (D-Puerto Rico) led a bipartisan effort with 17 other lawmakers to challenge the DOE’s decision to cancel remaining projects under the PR-ERF. The letter, signed by a diverse group of Democrats, criticized the agency for violating statutory requirements that prioritize distributed energy resources to protect vulnerable communities in Puerto Rico.

The lawmakers emphasized that the cancellation of the obligated contracts was illegal, citing the explicit language in the statute that mandates funding for renewable energy, energy storage, and other grid technologies. The PR-ERF was designed to address the shortcomings of a centralized energy grid, which had failed to reach many households during past outages.

“Congress recognized that centralized grid investments alone failed to reach vulnerable households,” the letter stated. “Distributed energy resources were necessary to protect the lives, health, and economic security of all Puerto Ricans when outages occur.”

Lawmakers Demand DOE Reversal

The letter, which was signed by 17 additional lawmakers including Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Representatives Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), called on the DOE to “immediately reverse course and reinstate the cancelled PR-ERF awards so that projects proceed as Congress intended.”

The lawmakers argued that the PR-ERF was a critical initiative to improve energy resilience in Puerto Rico, which has suffered from frequent power outages due to natural disasters and aging infrastructure. The program aimed to provide grants for low- and moderate-income households, including those with individuals with disabilities, to install renewable energy systems and energy storage solutions.

“This was enshrined in statute, which explicitly says funding shall be made available ‘including grants for low- and moderate-income households and households that include individuals with disabilities for the purchase and installation of renewable energy, energy storage, and other grid technologies,’” the lawmakers wrote.

The letter highlights the growing concerns among lawmakers about the DOE’s handling of energy programs, particularly in regions that have been disproportionately affected by climate-related disruptions. The PR-ERF was established following the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017, which left much of the island without power for weeks and exposed the fragility of Puerto Rico’s energy infrastructure.

What’s Next for Puerto Rico’s Energy Future

With the PR-ERF projects now in limbo, the future of energy resilience in Puerto Rico remains uncertain. The lawmakers have given the DOE a clear deadline to respond to their letter, and legal action is a possibility if the agency does not comply with their demands.

“If the Department of Energy does not act immediately to reinstate these awards, we will have no choice but to take further steps to ensure that the will of Congress is carried out,” the letter warned.

Industry experts and energy analysts have expressed concern over the potential impact of the DOE’s decision on Puerto Rico’s energy security. According to a recent report by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, the island has struggled to recover fully from previous hurricanes, and the lack of resilient infrastructure has left many households vulnerable to prolonged outages.

“The cancellation of these projects is not just a legal issue—it’s a matter of life and death for many Puerto Ricans,” said one energy policy analyst. “Without these distributed energy resources, the island remains at risk of repeating the same failures that occurred after Hurricane Maria.”

As the debate over the PR-ERF continues, the lawmakers are expected to push for a congressional investigation into the DOE’s actions. The outcome of this dispute could have far-reaching implications for energy policy in the United States, particularly in regions that are increasingly vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters.