Solar Groups Challenge Rate Structure, Cite Impact on Consumers
The Puerto Rico Solar Energy and Storage Association (SESA) and Solar United Neighbors (SUN) filed a joint motion for reconsideration before the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (NEPR), requesting revisions to key elements of the recently approved electric rate structure to better protect consumers.
The motion challenges aspects of the NEPR’s Resolution and Final Order issued on April 15, 2026, arguing that certain provisions may conflict with existing energy laws, including Law 114-2007, Law 57-2014, and Law 17-2019. These statutes establish principles of affordability, equity, non-discrimination, and the promotion of distributed renewable energy.
According to SESA and SUN, the approved rate structure significantly increases the residential fixed charge, raising it from $4 to $16 per month over a relatively short period. The organizations estimate that the change would add $192 annually to customers’ bills before any electricity consumption, shifting costs from higher-usage customers to low-consumption households, including lower-income families and those with rooftop solar systems.
Javier Rúa Jovet, SESA’s director of public policy, said the structure “penalizes those who consume less energy and those who have invested or will invest in efficient solutions and solar energy,” adding that it disproportionately affects vulnerable populations and diverges from Puerto Rico’s public energy policy.
The motion also raises concerns about the elimination of the inclined block rate structure for residential customers, a pricing model historically used to incentivize energy efficiency. Rúa Jovet noted that removing this mechanism could weaken incentives to reduce consumption and complicate efforts to meet the island’s statutory goal of achieving 30% energy efficiency by 2040.
According to SESA and SUN, the approved rate structure significantly increases the residential fixed charge, raising it from $4 to $16 per month over a relatively short period.(Photo: Puerto Rico Solar Energy and Storage Association)
House Speaker Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Núñez said a forthcoming proposal to eliminate Puerto Rico’s gasoline tax—known as the “crudita”—would not be offset by new taxes, but by adjustments within the existing budget.
