POLITICO Energy

The fight over funding Puerto Rico’s power grid

Episode Summary

Congress has directed about $14 billion dollars to repair Puerto Rico’s troubled energy grid, but disagreements over how to spend those funds could slow the effort to stave off power disruptions as the territory seeks to create a 100 percent clean power grid by 2050. POLITICO’s Gloria Gonzalez breaks down solar advocates’ concerns and how fights over funding could affect the island. Plus, a new EPA proposal could force the utility sector to better control and clean up inactive coal ash ponds located near coal-fired power plants. We want to invite you to POLITICO’s first Energy summit! Hear from Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, and more to hear about the new energy transition. Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 18th. See you in person here in DC, or you can join us virtually. For more details and to RSVP: https://www.politico.com/live-events/2023/05/18/politico-energy-summit-00001441 For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy

Episode Notes

Congress has directed about $14 billion dollars to repair Puerto Rico’s troubled energy grid, but disagreements over how to spend those funds could slow the effort to stave off power disruptions as the territory seeks to create a 100 percent clean power grid by 2050. POLITICO’s Gloria Gonzalez breaks down solar advocates’ concerns and how fights over funding could affect the island. Plus, a new EPA proposal could force the utility sector to better control and clean up inactive coal ash ponds located near coal-fired power plants.

We want to invite you to POLITICO’s first Energy summit! Hear from Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, and more to hear about the new energy transition. Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 18th. See you in person here in DC, or you can join us virtually. 

For more details and to RSVP: https://www.politico.com/live-events/2023/05/18/politico-energy-summit-00001441

For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch

And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: 

https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy

 

Gloria Gonzalez is the Deputy Energy Editor at POLITICO Pro.

Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO. 

Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.

Brook Hayes edited this POLITICO energy podcast.

Jenny Ament is the executive producer of POLITICO’s audio department.