Secretary of Energy Chris Wright at a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 13, 2026. Wright said the renewed emergency orders for Puerto Rico are part of the federal government’s broader push to modernize the island’s aging grid. (Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times) By THE STAR STAFF The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has renewed two emergency orders aimed at reinforcing Puerto Rico’s electrical system as the island confronts r

The Financial Oversight and Management Board said 22 of Puerto Rico’s 78 municipalities now charge higher construction excise tax rates on projects funded with federal or local government dollars than on privately financed construction. By THE STAR STAFF The Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico is urging mayors and the central government to halt implementation of Act 215‑2024, warning that recent municipal tax practices could jeopardize billions in federal

Rep. Víctor Parés Otero By THE STAR STAFF Rep. Víctor Parés Otero, who chairs the House Government Committee, announced on Monday the filing of a bill that would establish a 20-year program to rehabilitate water infrastructure and reduce system losses to 30% by 2031. “Just as happened with the electrical infrastructure, Puerto Rico’s water infrastructure -- with the exception of the Superaqueduct -- is obsolete; it never received the required maintenance, and today we are see

Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority Executive President Luis R. González Delgado, in foreground, reported that the Carraízo reservoir stood at 37.48 meters on Monday morning and that after a period of modest rainfall last week its rate of decline had been cut roughly in half -- dropping from about nine centimeters per day to close to four or five centimeters. (Facebook via Jenniffer González Colón) By THE STAR STAFF Meteorologist Ernesto Rodríguez announced on Monday tha