Image: Convergent Energy
Puerto Rico began 2025 with a grim reminder of its fragile power grid. On New Year's Eve, almost the entire island – 90% – lost electricity, leaving more than 1.3 million customers in the dark during the holiday celebrations. Power was restored on January 1, but the blackout underscored the urgent need for reliable energy solutions.
In an effort to help strengthen Puerto Rico's grid resilience, Convergent Energy and Power received a conditional commitment from the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Loan Programs for a major solar and battery storage project in December. DOE support includes loan guarantees of up to $559.4 million, paving the way for Convergent to install solar and standalone battery systems across the island.
Puerto Rico's new solar + off-grid storage
The flagship project in Coamo will include a 100-megawatt (MW) solar PV system combined with a 55.5-MW battery energy storage system. Convergent will also install independent battery systems in Caguas, Peñuelas, and Ponce with a combined capacity of 225 MW. Together, these installations will pump nearly 200,000 megawatt hours of clean energy into Puerto Rico's grid annually — enough to power 19,000 homes.
Puerto Rico's energy costs are among the highest in the US, and its grid is still notoriously unreliable, so these projects will help reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower electricity prices.
Clean grid, very reliable
Climate change estimates this program will avoid 2.5 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually. That's equivalent to taking the energy use of 335,000 homes off the grid. The company's CEO, Frank Genova, said, “Improving grid reliability and stability in Puerto Rico is critical…
The broader benefits are equally compelling. Solar and battery storage will help stabilize Puerto Rico's grid, which has been plagued by hurricanes, mismanagement, and underfunding for years. The project is expected to create approximately 540 construction jobs and 20 permanent positions while incorporating community benefits such as local engagement and labor standards.
Why is this important now?
The New Year's blackout may have been one of the worst in recent memory, but it was not an isolated incident. Puerto Rico's power grid has struggled to recover after Hurricane Maria in 2017, which devastated its infrastructure. Despite government subsidies and promises to modernize the grid, blackouts remain common, forcing residents and businesses to install their own solar panels and generators.
The Convergent Project aims to address these issues at the system level. The DOE's conditional loan guarantee is a strong sign of federal support, but the company must pass an environmental review and meet legal and financial conditions before the loan can be finalized. If all goes according to plan, the systems are expected to come online in 2026.
Read more: This accordion-modular solar system can withstand winds of 166 mph
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