From May 2025 through April 2026, Puerto Rico consumed electricity overwhelmingly from fossil fuels, which supplied about 97% of the total. Gas accounted for almost half of electricity consumption, while coal supplied about 17%; other fossil sources made up the remainder. Low-carbon electricity contributed only about 3%, split between solar at roughly 1.4% and wind at 1.1%. This leaves considerable scope to expand clean electricity and reduce the climate-changing emissions and air pollution associated with fossil fuels.

Is Electricity Growing in Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico’s latest electricity consumption remains well below its historical peak, rather than setting new growth records. The latest 2026 figure is about 5,000 kWh per person, compared with roughly 6,600 kWh in 2006—a decline of about 1,600 kWh per person, or 24%. Low-carbon electricity generation is also substantially below its record: about 128 kWh per person, compared with 338 kWh in 2024, a drop of roughly 210 kWh, or 62%. These comparisons do not establish the latest year-on-year trend, but the shortfalls are concerning: expanding clean electricity supply is important for supporting electrification and future demand, including from AI.

Suggestions

Puerto Rico should prioritize a substantial solar expansion while developing wind and considering nuclear electricity as part of a diversified low-carbon system. The US state of Hawaii offers a particularly relevant island comparison, generating about 23% of its electricity from solar; Cyprus achieves a similar share, while the US state of Nevada reaches about 35%. Rooftop and utility-scale solar, supported by storage and grid upgrades, could help Puerto Rico build on these examples. For wind, the island regions of Ireland and Cape Verde generate about 35% and 14% of their electricity from wind, respectively, offering useful lessons for locally suitable projects. Nuclear also deserves consideration: the US state of South Carolina generates more than half its electricity from nuclear, while France generates about two-thirds, demonstrating how nuclear can provide a strong foundation for clean electricity alongside solar and wind.

History

Puerto Rico’s low-carbon electricity history shows modest hydro fluctuations followed by more recent growth in wind and solar. During the 1980s, hydro generation fell by 0.1 TWh in 1981 before increasing by 0.1 TWh in both 1985 and 1987. In the 1990s, a 0.2 TWh decline in 1990 was followed by gains of 0.1 TWh in 1996 and 1999; further declines of 0.1 TWh occurred in 2000 and 2012, with no change reported in 2004. Wind grew by 0.2 TWh in 2013, remained unchanged in 2014 and 2016, and added 0.1 TWh in both 2019 and 2024. Solar increased by 0.2 TWh annually in 2018 and 2019, by 0.1 TWh annually in 2020 and 2021, and by another 0.2 TWh in 2022. Those gains were encouraging, but the substantial 0.6 TWh solar decline in 2025 was a disappointing reversal that underscores the importance of restoring sustained clean electricity growth.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (May 2025 – Apr 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.