LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

Energy ADVISOR

A daily publication Of the dialogue

January 9, 2026

What’s to Blame for Puerto Rico’s Power Sector Problems?

Puerto Rico’s power infrastructure continues to recover after being devasted by Hurricane Maria in 2017. // File Photo: Western Area Power via Flickr CC BY 2.0.

Q

A

Cathy Kunkel, energy consultant at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis: “Terminating the Luma contract was one of the main campaign promises of Puerto Rico’s current governor, Jenniffer González-Colón, who was elected in 2024. Indeed, the poor quality of electrical service was arguably the reason that former Governor Pedro Pierluisi lost his party’s primary election in 2024 to González-Colón. The governor is following through on her campaign promise with this effort to have Luma’s contract annulled in court. Luma has petitioned for the case to be removed to federal court, and the federal court…”

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ABOUT THE Energy ADVISOR

A sister publication of the Inter-American Dialogue’s daily Latin America Advisor, the weekly Energy Advisor captures fresh analysis from business leaders and government officials on the most important developments in oil and gas, biofuels, the power sector, renewables, new technologies, and the policy debates shaping the future of energy in the Western Hemisphere and beyond. To subscribe or for more information, contact Gene Kuleta, editor of the Advisor, at gkuleta@thedialogue.org.

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Staff

Gene Kuleta
Editor
202.463.2920
gkuleta@thedialogue.org

Jack Quinn
Reporter

jquinn@thedialogue.org

Lori Rampani
Reporter

lrampani@thedialogue.org

board of advisors

Nigel Blackaby
Global Head, International Arbitration Group,
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Jimena Blanco
Chief Analyst,
Verisk Maplecroft

María José Cortés
Head of ESG,
Atlas Renewable Energy

Jeffrey Davidow
Senior Counselor,
The Cohen Group

Analia Gonzalez
Leader, Arbitration & Litigation,
Laitn America, BakerHostetler

Jonathan C. Hamilton
Partner,
White & Case

Raul Herrera
Partner, Corporate &
Securities Practice,
Arnold & Porter

James R. Jones
Chairman,
Monarch Global Strategies

Jorge Kamine
Partner, Corporate &
Financial Services,
Willkie Farr & Gallagher

Craig A. Kelly
Senior Director,
Int’l Government Relations,
Exxon Mobil

Jeremy Martin
Director,
Energy Program,
Institute of the Americas

Larry Pascal
Chairman, Americas
Practice Group,
Haynes & Boone

R. Kirk Sherr
President,
Clearview Strategy Group

Daniela Stevens
Director,
Energy Transition and Climate Program,
Inter-American Dialogue

Doris Rodríguez
Partner,
Hunton Andrews Kurth

Alexandra Valderrama
Director,
International Government
Affairs, Chevron

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