April 14, 2026
Hon. Chris Wright
Secretary
US Department of Energy
The.Secretary@hq.doe.gov
Cc:
Hon. Jennifer González Colón
Governor of Puerto Rico
gobernadora@fortaleza.pr.gov
Re: Request to reinstate Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund programs
Honorable Secretary Wright and Governor González Colón:
We, the undersigned Disability-led and Disability-supporting organizations, are writing to express our deep concerns regarding the recent cancellation of approximately $365 million in awards under the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF). These funds were awarded to facilitate the installation of thousands of residential rooftop solar and battery systems for electro-dependent and low-income households across Puerto Rico to protect their health and independence and save lives. The years of planning, along with firm commitments to thousands of people with electricity-dependent disabilities and medical conditions who were already approved for life-saving solar and battery systems must be honored.
In 2022, more than 100 Disability-led and Disability-supporting organizations from across Puerto Rico and the 50 states signed-on to a letter asking Congress to appropriate funding for rooftop solar and storage to households with people with disabilities and other marginalized people residing in Puerto Rico whose lives were at risk from frequent power outages. What they shared with Congress then still stands today, “Disabled people are disproportionately impacted by power loss from constant recurring disasters. Disabled people were injured and likely died because they lacked power to keep medication cool or operate ventilators and other life-sustaining equipment, as seen most recently during and after Hurricanes Fiona and María.”
We refuse to lose one more life.
In 2022, Congress authorized and appropriated $1 billion to the PR-ERF through the FY2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The final statutory language in the appropriations bill made clear that this fund should prioritize the unique energy resilience needs of low-income people, particularly those with disabilities. For that reason, many local Disability-led and Disability-supporting organizations participated in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) community-informed process to design the implementation of the $1 billion PR-ERF and ensure the plan responded to the disability community needs. Some of these same organizations also served as Solar Ambassadors to help enroll eligible households to receive solar and battery systems.
Redirecting the PR-ERF funding to the centralized grid does not meet the energy resilience needs of the disability community. It has been more than 8 years since Hurricane Maria and Puerto Rico’s grid recovery is still years away from completion. Electro-dependent people cannot wait years. Puerto Rico continues to experience more power outages than anywhere else in the United States. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “on average in 2024, customers in Puerto Rico went without electricity for more than 73 hours, of which 43 hours were attributed to major events such as hurricanes.”
Even under the best of circumstances, no electric grid can prevent all future outages, especially in a hurricane zone. For people who are electro-dependent, many of whom are also elderly, a single outage can be life-threatening. Medications are lost, respirators shut off, dialysis is missed, and communication devices fail. Providing rooftop solar energy and battery storage systems, with a strong understanding of how to use them, is a proven solution to reduce that threat.
We believe in the PR-ERF programs’ importance and effectiveness. More than 6,000 households have already received a system and can attest to its impact. 12,000 additional vulnerable households are urgently awaiting their system, and the DOE must fulfill its promise to them before any more lives are lost.
For the reasons stated above, we respectfully request the DOE immediately restore the funds awarded under the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund and allow the programs to move forward as intended. We also request the government of Puerto Rico join with us to advocate for full restoration of the PR-ERF awards to defend the life and well-being of the thousands of PR-ERF beneficiary families.
Sincerely,
10Power
Ability360
Able South Carolina, Inc.
Access Ready
Accessible Climate Strategies, LLC
Acción Valerosa, Inc.
ADAPT Capital Region
Adapt Kentucky
ADAPT Montana
ADAPT National
ADAPT of North Carolina
ADAPT OF TEXAS
Advocacy for Migrant Opportunities and Resources
AIM-4-Access
All Kinds Accessibility Consulting
Alleghenies Unlimited Care Providers
American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
American Legion Dept. Puerto Rico
American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region
Arizona Statewide Independent Living Council
Asociación de Espina Bífida e Hidrocefalia de PR, Inc.
Asociación de Residentes de La Margarita, Inc.
Asociacion Mayaguezana de Personas con Impedimentos
Asociación Puertorriqueña Pro Bienestar de las Familias
Asociación Residentes de La Margarita
Association for Sustainable Human Advancement [former name All Sanghar Handicaps’ Association] (ASHA)
Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL)
Autistic People of Color Fund
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN)
Barrio Eléctrico
Barton Dunant
Boys & Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico
BRC Consulting Services
Cafe del Caney, LLC
Carpe Diem Developers PR
Casa Juana Colón Apoyo y Orientación a la Mujer, Inc.
Celebrate845
Center for Disability Empowerment
Center for Independent Living of Broward & Gulf Coast
Center for Racial and Disability Justice
Centro de la Mujer Dominicana. Inc.
Centro Pro Vida Independiente (CEPVI)
Chronic Disease Coalition
CIL of the Keys, Keys Advocacy Center, Inc.
Ciudad Museo, Inc.
Coalición de Coaliciones Pro Personas sin Hogar de PR, Inc.
Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition
Community Emergency Response Volunteers
Community Health Foundation of Puerto Rico, Inc.
Comunidad San José De Media Luna, Inc.
Congo Handicap
Connecting Paths PR, Inc.
Consejo Estatal de Vida Independiente (CEVI)
Consejo Estatal sobre Deficiencias en el Desarrollo de PR
Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities Emergency Management Task Force
Consumer Workforce Council of PA
Cooperativa de Energía La Margarita- Abeyno Coop
CORALations, Inc.
Corporación de Servicios de Salud y Desarrollo Socioeconómico El Otoao
Cure SMA
Deerhaven
DIAL- Center for Independent Living
Direct Advocacy & Resource Center
Disability & Immigration Justice Coalition
Disability Access Solutions
Disability Action Center - Northwest
Disability Peoples Forum Uganda
Disability Policy Consultant
Disability Pride Pennsylvania
Disability Resource Network
Disability Rights & Resources
Disability Rights California
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
Disability Rights North Carolina
Disability Rights Oregon
Disability Solutions for Independent Living
Disabled in Action of PA
Disaster Central
Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition (DHRC)
EarthSpark International
El Centro Para Todos
EL Ciego Visionario
El Puente Puerto Rico
ELI Foundation PR
Environmental Defense Fund
Expert of Me
Ferreira Foundation
Florida Independent Living Council (FILC)
Foundation for a Better Puerto Rico
Georgia ADAPT
Hakuna Matata House
HASL Center for Independent Living
Health Justice Commons (HJC)
Hispanic Federation
I Wanna Be With You Everywhere
Idaho State Independent Living Council
Iddy
Independence Northwest
Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley, Inc.
Indivisible Bowie and Beyond (IBBMD)
Inmigrantes con Discapacidades
Institute for Building Technology and Safety
Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center
Kansas ADAPT
La Sombrilla Cuir
Lane Independent Living Alliance
Latino Justice, PRLDEF
LaUnidad11
Let's Talk Consulting
Liberty Resources, Inc.
Little Lobbyists
Living Fully at Home, LLC
Loélia, Inc.®
Louisiana Statewide Independent Living Council
LTRG of P.R. / GRALP P.R.
MAM
Mask Bloc LA
MEAction
Mid-Ohio Board for an Independent Living Environment
Movimiento para el Alcance de Vida Independiente (MAVI)
Mujeres de Islas
National Association For Rights Protection And Advocacy
National Coalition for Latinxs with Disabilities (CNLD)
National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)
National Federation of the Blind de Puerto Rico
National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC)
National Pediatric Disaster Coalition
NC Statewide Independent Living Council
NeoMed Center, Inc.
Network of OT Practitioners with Disabilities & Supporters (NOTPD)
New Disabled South
New Jersey Disability Collective
New Jersey Statewide Independent Living Council
North Carolina ADAPT
Occidental College DSU
Occidental Disabled Student Union
Oficina Protección Defensa de las Personas con Impedimentos
One Stop Career Center of PR, Inc.
OT Leaders & Legacies Society
PA ADAPT
PANI
Paralyzed Veterans of America Puerto Rico Chapter
Parceleras Afrocaribeñas, Inc.
Personal Attendant Coalition of Texas
Philly ADAPT
Placer Independent Resource Services
Ponce Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.
Proyecto Colonialidad, Pobreza y Desigualdad Social en Puerto Rico
Proyecto Matria
Puerto Rico Community Foundation
R.S. Dyton Associates
Red Nacional de Albergues de Violencia de Género
Roads to Freedom Center for Independent Living of North Central PA
Saving Institutional Lives Via Emergency Relocation (SILVER)
SeededGround
Self-Initiated Living Options, Inc.
Self-Reliance, Inc.
Sins Invalid
Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Epilepsia
Solar Habitats
Solar United Neighbors
Statewide Independent Living Council of Alaska
Statewide Independent Living Council of Tennessee
Supportive Housing Providers Association
Surcando La Historia, Inc.
Taller Salud
Talk with Tenney Radio
TDIforAccess
Texas Appleseed
The Center for Independent Living
The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies / La Alianza para Estrategias Inclusivas ante Desastres
The Praxis Project
The Spina Bifida Resource Network
The Statewide Independent Living Council of Illinois
Thomas Consulting
TICATOVE, Inc.
Touch the Future, Inc.
United States International Council on Disabilities (USICD)
United States Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (USSAAC)
Upstream Access
USA Thalidomide Survivors
Valley Association for Independent Living, Inc.
Vermont Center for Independent Living
Vieques Recycling Partnership
Villa Destino
Voluntarios Preocupados por la Educación
WA Dept of Health Community Collaborative Thought Partners
Waves Ahead Corp
Wisconsin ADAPT
Wisconsin Coalition of Independent Living Centers
World Institute on Disability
193 Organizations Call for Restoring Puerto Rico Solar Program
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Updated: April 15, 2026 by admin
In 2022, 100 disability-led and disability-supporting organizations came together to successfully advocate for federal investment in rooftop solar and battery systems for disabled people and low-income households in Puerto Rico. That effort led to the creation and funding of the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF), with a goal of installing 30,000 units to support people whose lives depend on reliable access to electricity.
On January 9, 2026, the program was suddenly pulled midway through, leaving more than 12,000 households that had already been approved without the support they were promised to maintain access to the energy needed for life-saving equipment and daily independence.
On April 14, 2026, a coalition of 193 disability-led and disability-supporting organizations from Puerto Rico and across the United States sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Energy and the Governor of Puerto Rico calling for the immediate restoration of the PR-ERF residential solar and battery programs. These programs provide life-saving backup power to electricity-dependent individuals and other at-risk households, and thousands of families had already been approved before the program was canceled.
This letter linked here and also below, represents the next step in a continued, coordinated effort to ensure that disabled Puerto Ricans are not left behind. As power outages continue across Puerto Rico, and with a grid that is years away from being stable, our community needs household-level energy solutions to survive.
April 14, 2026
Hon. Chris Wright
Secretary
US Department of Energy
The.Secretary@hq.doe.gov
Cc:
Hon. Jennifer González Colón
Governor of Puerto Rico
gobernadora@fortaleza.pr.gov
Re: Request to reinstate Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund programs
Honorable Secretary Wright and Governor González Colón:
We, the undersigned Disability-led and Disability-supporting organizations, are writing to express our deep concerns regarding the recent cancellation of approximately $365 million in awards under the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF). These funds were awarded to facilitate the installation of thousands of residential rooftop solar and battery systems for electro-dependent and low-income households across Puerto Rico to protect their health and independence and save lives. The years of planning, along with firm commitments to thousands of people with electricity-dependent disabilities and medical conditions who were already approved for life-saving solar and battery systems must be honored.
In 2022, more than 100 Disability-led and Disability-supporting organizations from across Puerto Rico and the 50 states signed-on to a letter asking Congress to appropriate funding for rooftop solar and storage to households with people with disabilities and other marginalized people residing in Puerto Rico whose lives were at risk from frequent power outages. What they shared with Congress then still stands today, “Disabled people are disproportionately impacted by power loss from constant recurring disasters. Disabled people were injured and likely died because they lacked power to keep medication cool or operate ventilators and other life-sustaining equipment, as seen most recently during and after Hurricanes Fiona and María.”
We refuse to lose one more life.
In 2022, Congress authorized and appropriated $1 billion to the PR-ERF through the FY2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The final statutory language in the appropriations bill made clear that this fund should prioritize the unique energy resilience needs of low-income people, particularly those with disabilities. For that reason, many local Disability-led and Disability-supporting organizations participated in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) community-informed process to design the implementation of the $1 billion PR-ERF and ensure the plan responded to the disability community needs. Some of these same organizations also served as Solar Ambassadors to help enroll eligible households to receive solar and battery systems.
Redirecting the PR-ERF funding to the centralized grid does not meet the energy resilience needs of the disability community. It has been more than 8 years since Hurricane Maria and Puerto Rico’s grid recovery is still years away from completion. Electro-dependent people cannot wait years. Puerto Rico continues to experience more power outages than anywhere else in the United States. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “on average in 2024, customers in Puerto Rico went without electricity for more than 73 hours, of which 43 hours were attributed to major events such as hurricanes.”
Even under the best of circumstances, no electric grid can prevent all future outages, especially in a hurricane zone. For people who are electro-dependent, many of whom are also elderly, a single outage can be life-threatening. Medications are lost, respirators shut off, dialysis is missed, and communication devices fail. Providing rooftop solar energy and battery storage systems, with a strong understanding of how to use them, is a proven solution to reduce that threat.
We believe in the PR-ERF programs’ importance and effectiveness. More than 6,000 households have already received a system and can attest to its impact. 12,000 additional vulnerable households are urgently awaiting their system, and the DOE must fulfill its promise to them before any more lives are lost.
For the reasons stated above, we respectfully request the DOE immediately restore the funds awarded under the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund and allow the programs to move forward as intended. We also request the government of Puerto Rico join with us to advocate for full restoration of the PR-ERF awards to defend the life and well-being of the thousands of PR-ERF beneficiary families.
Sincerely,
10Power
Ability360
Able South Carolina, Inc.
Access Ready
Accessible Climate Strategies, LLC
Acción Valerosa, Inc.
ADAPT Capital Region
Adapt Kentucky
ADAPT Montana
ADAPT National
ADAPT of North Carolina
ADAPT OF TEXAS
Advocacy for Migrant Opportunities and Resources
AIM-4-Access
All Kinds Accessibility Consulting
Alleghenies Unlimited Care Providers
American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
American Legion Dept. Puerto Rico
American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region
Arizona Statewide Independent Living Council
Asociación de Espina Bífida e Hidrocefalia de PR, Inc.
Asociación de Residentes de La Margarita, Inc.
Asociacion Mayaguezana de Personas con Impedimentos
Asociación Puertorriqueña Pro Bienestar de las Familias
Asociación Residentes de La Margarita
Association for Sustainable Human Advancement [former name All Sanghar Handicaps’ Association] (ASHA)
Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL)
Autistic People of Color Fund
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN)
Barrio Eléctrico
Barton Dunant
Boys & Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico
BRC Consulting Services
Cafe del Caney, LLC
Carpe Diem Developers PR
Casa Juana Colón Apoyo y Orientación a la Mujer, Inc.
Celebrate845
Center for Disability Empowerment
Center for Independent Living of Broward & Gulf Coast
Center for Racial and Disability Justice
Centro de la Mujer Dominicana. Inc.
Centro Pro Vida Independiente (CEPVI)
Chronic Disease Coalition
CIL of the Keys, Keys Advocacy Center, Inc.
Ciudad Museo, Inc.
Coalición de Coaliciones Pro Personas sin Hogar de PR, Inc.
Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition
Community Emergency Response Volunteers
Community Health Foundation of Puerto Rico, Inc.
Comunidad San José De Media Luna, Inc.
Congo Handicap
Connecting Paths PR, Inc.
Consejo Estatal de Vida Independiente (CEVI)
Consejo Estatal sobre Deficiencias en el Desarrollo de PR
Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities Emergency Management Task Force
Consumer Workforce Council of PA
Cooperativa de Energía La Margarita- Abeyno Coop
CORALations, Inc.
Corporación de Servicios de Salud y Desarrollo Socioeconómico El Otoao
Cure SMA
Deerhaven
DIAL- Center for Independent Living
Direct Advocacy & Resource Center
Disability & Immigration Justice Coalition
Disability Access Solutions
Disability Action Center - Northwest
Disability Peoples Forum Uganda
Disability Policy Consultant
Disability Pride Pennsylvania
Disability Resource Network
Disability Rights & Resources
Disability Rights California
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
Disability Rights North Carolina
Disability Rights Oregon
Disability Solutions for Independent Living
Disabled in Action of PA
Disaster Central
Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition (DHRC)
EarthSpark International
El Centro Para Todos
EL Ciego Visionario
El Puente Puerto Rico
ELI Foundation PR
Environmental Defense Fund
Expert of Me
Ferreira Foundation
Florida Independent Living Council (FILC)
Foundation for a Better Puerto Rico
Georgia ADAPT
Hakuna Matata House
HASL Center for Independent Living
Health Justice Commons (HJC)
Hispanic Federation
I Wanna Be With You Everywhere
Idaho State Independent Living Council
Iddy
Independence Northwest
Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley, Inc.
Indivisible Bowie and Beyond (IBBMD)
Inmigrantes con Discapacidades
Institute for Building Technology and Safety
Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center
Kansas ADAPT
La Sombrilla Cuir
Lane Independent Living Alliance
Latino Justice, PRLDEF
LaUnidad11
Let's Talk Consulting
Liberty Resources, Inc.
Little Lobbyists
Living Fully at Home, LLC
Loélia, Inc.®
Louisiana Statewide Independent Living Council
LTRG of P.R. / GRALP P.R.
MAM
Mask Bloc LA
MEAction
Mid-Ohio Board for an Independent Living Environment
Movimiento para el Alcance de Vida Independiente (MAVI)
Mujeres de Islas
National Association For Rights Protection And Advocacy
National Coalition for Latinxs with Disabilities (CNLD)
National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)
National Federation of the Blind de Puerto Rico
National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC)
National Pediatric Disaster Coalition
NC Statewide Independent Living Council
NeoMed Center, Inc.
Network of OT Practitioners with Disabilities & Supporters (NOTPD)
New Disabled South
New Jersey Disability Collective
New Jersey Statewide Independent Living Council
North Carolina ADAPT
Occidental College DSU
Occidental Disabled Student Union
Oficina Protección Defensa de las Personas con Impedimentos
One Stop Career Center of PR, Inc.
OT Leaders & Legacies Society
PA ADAPT
PANI
Paralyzed Veterans of America Puerto Rico Chapter
Parceleras Afrocaribeñas, Inc.
Personal Attendant Coalition of Texas
Philly ADAPT
Placer Independent Resource Services
Ponce Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.
Proyecto Colonialidad, Pobreza y Desigualdad Social en Puerto Rico
Proyecto Matria
Puerto Rico Community Foundation
R.S. Dyton Associates
Red Nacional de Albergues de Violencia de Género
Roads to Freedom Center for Independent Living of North Central PA
Saving Institutional Lives Via Emergency Relocation (SILVER)
SeededGround
Self-Initiated Living Options, Inc.
Self-Reliance, Inc.
Sins Invalid
Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Epilepsia
Solar Habitats
Solar United Neighbors
Statewide Independent Living Council of Alaska
Statewide Independent Living Council of Tennessee
Supportive Housing Providers Association
Surcando La Historia, Inc.
Taller Salud
Talk with Tenney Radio
TDIforAccess
Texas Appleseed
The Center for Independent Living
The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies / La Alianza para Estrategias Inclusivas ante Desastres
The Praxis Project
The Spina Bifida Resource Network
The Statewide Independent Living Council of Illinois
Thomas Consulting
TICATOVE, Inc.
Touch the Future, Inc.
United States International Council on Disabilities (USICD)
United States Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (USSAAC)
Upstream Access
USA Thalidomide Survivors
Valley Association for Independent Living, Inc.
Vermont Center for Independent Living
Vieques Recycling Partnership
Villa Destino
Voluntarios Preocupados por la Educación
WA Dept of Health Community Collaborative Thought Partners
Waves Ahead Corp
Wisconsin ADAPT
Wisconsin Coalition of Independent Living Centers
World Institute on Disability
Category: Announcements, Disability Advocacy, Disability Advocacy, Emergency Preparedness, News, Puerto Rico, Solar, Uncategorized Tags: disability, disabled, disasters, emergency preparedness, news