NFE’s Palo Seco emergency power
is a positively powerful development
for Puerto Rico
ENERGY FILLED STORY
Powering
Puerto Rico
Our new emergency power installation in Palo Seco is a positively powerful development for Puerto Rico! On June 7, 2023, this new facility began supplying the island’s grid with 150MW of gas-fueled power just in time to help meet unprecedented electricity demand caused by dangerous, record-breaking temperatures.
An urgent need for power
Puerto Rico has a critical power shortage. Aging infrastructure and hurricane damage have put the island’s power grid in a precarious position, leading to unstable electricity and frequent power outages. Especially in the summer months, when temperatures climb and hurricanes threaten, these power outages can be life-threatening for residents. Sadly, the most vulnerable are usually the hardest hit. These outages are also bad for Puerto Rico’s economy: each load shedding event is estimated to cost Puerto Rico $14 million with total losses that could approximate $700 million per year given the current state of the system(1).
Rising to the challenge
To address this urgent need, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) tasked the Army Corp to provide up to 700MW of emergency power to stabilize the island’s grid ahead of summer. We responded to the call by swiftly installing 150MW of emergency power at Palo Seco, near San Juan, in just 82 days from contract signing. The facility consists of dual-fuel generators that are supplied with natural gas from our San Juan terminal via trucks. The Palo Seco installation is already helping to stabilize the grid and provide reliable, cleaner power for the benefit of Puerto Ricans.
Additionally, we have installed another 200MW of emergency power at San Juan, which is also supplied with natural gas from our terminal. This additional capacity will further enhance the island’s power infrastructure and help ensure Puerto Ricans have the power they need.
We remain committed to powering Puerto Rico with positive energy by providing critical infrastructure and innovative solutions!