Communities in mountain region to have battery access

Community energy resilience hubs in several mountain towns will provide power during outages to essential businesses such as clinics, pharmacies, grocery stores and bakeries, which are critical to daily life. (Cooperativa Hidroeléctrica de la Montaña)

By The Star Staff

The Montaña Hydroelectric Cooperative (MHC) has received official authorization from the U.S. Department of Energy to implement the Community Energy Resilience Hub project, which ensures poor communities access to power in outages.

The initiative is backed by a $3.5 million federal allocation through the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants program. The project will be coordinated in Puerto Rico by the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction, and Resilience and aims to benefit remote communities in Adjuntas, Jayuya, Lares, Maricao and Utuado.

As part of the effort, backup batteries will be installed at 10 strategic locations to ensure continuous access to electricity during power outages. This will enhance the communities’ ability to respond to climate emergencies and power grid failures. The community energy resilience hubs will provide power during outages to essential businesses such as clinics, pharmacies, grocery stores and bakeries, which are critical to daily life. The backup batteries will allow those essential services to continue operating even when power is interrupted.

Additionally, the hubs will serve as support points where residents can refrigerate medications, charge medical equipment, and charge mobile devices to stay informed and connected. Each center will provide a safe and reliable place to maintain essential services during emergencies.

The project is part of ReEnFoCo, a major initiative of the MHC focused on strengthening the resilience of rural communities by installing microgrids that keep essential services operational during power outages. Through ReEnFoCo, the MHC promotes the creation of community microgrids that provide backup power to essential businesses, ensuring continuous access to necessary services. Essential businesses not only sustain daily life in the communities but also become vital support points during emergencies, sharing their energy with nearby residents and helping maintain collective well-being in difficult times.

“The Community Energy Resilience Hub project responds to the urgent demand from rural communities for reliable access to electricity during emergencies,” said Shirley Montalvo, solar ambassador and community coordinator for the MHC. “We hope these hubs will bring relief, stability, and hope to our communities when they need it most.”

The first phase of the project is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year, with the goal of providing energy backup to communities before the next hurricane season starts.

“The Mountain Hydroelectric Cooperative is the only organization in Puerto Rico positioned to develop and install 10 community microgrids in hard-to-reach rural areas,” MHC Treasurer Ineabelle Medina said. “This project sets a precedent for how mountain communities can access continuous power during emergencies. It is not just a technical solution but a profound transformation led by the communities themselves. There is no other program in the country with this reach, community focus, and direct impact on historically underserved populations.”