Queremos Sol insists upon distributed renewable energy

By The Star Staff

The Queremos Sol coalition is urging the government to adopt a new public electricity model based on distributed renewable energy.

“Puerto Rico can no longer endure this electrical system disaster. It’s not enough for the Governor to simply say that LUMA is leaving; the people want to know when LUMA will leave, when Genera will leave, and what model will replace this failed privatization that the governments and the Fiscal Control Board have imposed on us. The next step for our electrical system must be a public model that prioritizes a transformation based on distributed renewable energy and storage. This new model should ensure service improvements, guarantee cost-effectiveness, promote prudent use of funds, and provide for depoliticization, participation, and transparency,” stated Ingrid M. Vila Biaggi, president of Cambio and spokesperson for Queremos Sol.

As hurricane season began Sunday, Agustín Irizarry, a professor of electrical engineering at RUM and a member of Queremos Sol, emphasized the precariousness of the electrical system, which increases Puerto Rico’s risk of blackouts during storms and heightened summer electricity consumption. “Although the government assures us that we will have 3,800 megawatts this summer, the underlying problem lies with Genera. Genera routinely fails in the operation and basic maintenance of its fossil-fuel generation fleet. The threat of blackouts remains very real, especially if a strong storm impacts us. I still don’t understand why the government remains unconvinced by the obvious: distributed renewable energy is the true solution to Puerto Rico’s generation problems,” said Irizarry.

Multiple studies by experts have confirmed that transforming Puerto Rico’s electrical system using rooftop photovoltaic and storage systems is a viable, desirable, and cost-effective solution. “In these four years, we have witnessed a deterioration of electric service, with an increasing number of blackouts and an administration lacking the experience, knowledge, and personnel to operate efficiently. They have barely managed to secure federal funding despite allegations of improper contracting by their parent company, Quanta. Requests for budget and rate increases have been constant, despite the poor service. Furthermore, there is a lack of transparency, and both LUMA and Genera show reluctance to be held accountable,” remarked Ruth Santiago, an environmental lawyer and spokesperson for Queremos Sol.

Myrna Conty, coordinator of the Anti-Incineration Coalition and spokesperson for Queremos Sol, questioned why there isn’t more urgency in addressing the serious energy crisis, which is a significant concern for the people suffering from an unreliable electrical system. “They seem to intend to normalize the mediocrity of the service they provide. It’s not normal to live each day waiting for a blackout. It’s not normal to be unable to celebrate holidays because ‘the power went out’. It’s not normal to lose groceries, with the government and privatizers minimizing the damage caused by their inefficiency. Puerto Rico deserves better.”

Maritza Maymí, spokesperson for Queremos Sol, emphasized, “We do not want another privatized company experimenting with our electrical system to assess its performance and how much money it can extract from the government. We need to shift toward a new public model based on renewable energy. Queremos Sol has the solution: a plan to deploy rooftop solar equipment with storage, creating an efficient, economical, resilient, and transparent system. This can be achieved through a new model of public governance that promotes transparency, citizen participation, and strengthens our local capacity. It’s time for the government to formally adopt it as a public and collective option.”