For Immediate Release: January 22, 2026
Contact: media@hispanicfederation.org
Hispanic Federation Condemns Federal Government’s Cancellation of Puerto Rico Energy Fund & Calls for Its Restoration
Hispanic Federation demands the immediate restoration of funds to support resilient solar power and batteries for energy storage
San Juan, PR – Hispanic Federation condemns the federal government’s recent decision to end the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF) and eliminated up to $350 million which was intended to support solar power and battery storage for vulnerable communities. In response, Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation, issued the following statement:
“The Trump Administration’s decision to terminate the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund abandons families who depend on energy to power essential medical equipment to survive. Now, thousands of vulnerable households across the archipelago who were approved to receive a solar and battery system will be deprived of this potentially life-saving equipment. This decision is not only cruel but also illegal since funds were already obligated by Congress.
Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón’s complicity in the decision to strip Puerto Ricans of these funds is devastating to the thousands who were relying on this critical support. Instead of protecting her constituents, Gov. González-Colón made a calculated, political decision that leaves vulnerable families exposed to the harshness of an unstable power-grid. Claiming that the funds will be redesignated to benefit “all Puerto Ricans” without describing a plan is irresponsible lip-service.
Separate from these funds, Congress has designated $18 billion to reconstruct the power grid. The purpose of the additional $350 million in funding was to provide timely, critical, lifesaving support for vulnerable Puerto Ricans who need reliable access to energy now. This population isn’t able to wait for the Puerto Rican government to decide how the $18 billion in funds are allocated – their lives depend on quick action. Now, the funds originally designated to support those with the most need is being politicized at the potential expense of thousands of Puerto Rican lives.
Congress created this fund recognizing that resilient energy in Puerto Rico is about survival. The cancelation of this program is a betrayal to thousands of Puerto Ricans who depend on electric-powered medical equipment, the communities that are serviced last after an outage, and for those who have lost loved ones due to blackouts.
Equitable access to reliable and resilient energy for the most vulnerable on the archipelago is imperative. Hispanic Federation demands the immediate reversal of this decision and calls on Congress to protect the funding that these Puerto Rican families were promised.”
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About Hispanic Federation
Hispanic Federation (HF) is a nonprofit membership and advocacy organization, founded in 1990, committed to empowering and advancing the Hispanic community, with a focus on low-income, marginalized, and immigrant Latine. With programs in 43 states and territories, HF’s focus areas include immigration, economic empowerment, civic engagement, disaster relief, philanthropy, education, health, and the environment. HF also maintains ongoing public education campaigns and meets the organizational development needs of its member agencies through grant-making and capacity-building assistance.
