SAN JUAN — Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González pledged to expand the island's electric energy supply through a series of measures including the installation of Tesla batteries, the conversion of power plants to natural gas and the cancellation of a contract held by private operator Luma. The commitments came during a nearly two-hour address in San Juan.

González said a bidding process to install 3,000 megawatts of additional power generation capacity is underway and will likely be awarded by late summer. She said nearly 1,000 megawatts will be added to the system in upcoming months as crews work to repair and modernize various power plants, and that 244 megawatts of power plants intended to run during high demand have arrived. One hundred megawatts provide sufficient energy for 60,000 families. "With more megawatts in the system, we can reduce outages," González said.

Crews have started installing Tesla batteries using more than $700 million in federal funds. The batteries have 430 megawatts of storage capacity and are expected to reduce power outages.

The governor backed a move by the Trump administration to redirect $350 million in federal funds originally meant to finance rooftop solar and battery systems for 12,000 low-income families in Puerto Rico. Those funds are now being invested in the island's power grid.

González said she would continue to push for the conversion of power plants to natural gas. "I want to reduce the cost of power in Puerto Rico," she said. In 2024, the island's average electricity price was ranked fifth highest, just behind Hawaii, California, Connecticut and Rhode Island, according to the U.S. Energy Administration Information.

The governor reiterated her promise to cancel a multimillion-dollar contract awarded to Luma, a private company overseeing the transmission and distribution of power in Puerto Rico. In a statement, Luma said the improvements to the transmission and distribution network are evident and that reconstruction and modernization work across the island will continue as long as the outstanding funds remain available.

Hurricane Maria decimated Puerto Rico's power grid when it hit the island as a Category 4 storm in September 2017. Puerto Rico's Electric Power Authority is still struggling to restructure more than $9 billion in debt.

Following the address, González faced criticism from political opponents. Representative in Congress Pablo José Hernández posted a video message asserting that Puerto Ricans are not alone and that their feelings of frustration, dissatisfaction and anger are justified.