The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Dominance Financing closed a $489.4 million loan on August 5, 2026, to Amanecer Puerto Rico LLC, a subsidiary of Pattern Energy, to lower electricity costs and strengthen Puerto Rico's electric grid.

DOE tied the financing to President Trump's Working Families Tax Cuts Act, saying it should save Puerto Rican families and businesses about $312.5 million in electricity costs over the next 25 years. The department said the loan will also improve grid reliability, strengthen energy security, support American manufacturing and reduce dependence on foreign-controlled supply chains.

Where the $489.4 million goes

The financing supports three pieces of Puerto Rico's grid:

  • 220 megawatts of battery energy storage systems in Arecibo and Santa Isabel, built with American-manufactured battery technology and domestic supply chains.
  • Battery storage capable of providing backup electricity to more than 100,000 customers during power shortages, which DOE said could help avoid about 13 million customer interruption hours based on 2025 operating data.
  • A pathway for future development of dispatchable natural gas-fired generation to improve grid stability.

A grid under repair

Puerto Rico's grid has experienced chronic outages and prolonged service interruptions that have cost families, businesses and essential facilities. Following a review by the Trump administration, DOE restructured the financing to align with its energy policy priorities on lowering costs, supporting manufacturing and deploying reliable, secure energy infrastructure.

EDF Director Gregory A. Beard said the loan would "strengthen Puerto Rico's electric grid, lower electricity costs, support American manufacturing" and provide a pathway to the dispatchable power the island needs.

Part of a wider push

DOE said the loan builds on broader efforts to restore reliable electricity in Puerto Rico. Since 2025, the department has issued and renewed emergency orders under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act to authorize generation needed to maintain electric service, while supporting vegetation management and transmission maintenance ahead of peak demand and hurricane season.