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Salon
Salon
Science
Brett Marsh

Keeping the lights on in Puerto Rico

A man walks down a flooded street in the Juana Matos neighborhood of Catano, Puerto Rico, on September 19, 2022, after the passage of Hurricane Fiona. (AFP via Getty Images)

Puerto Rico could get $3 billion dollars for rooftop solar energy and battery storage if Congress approves a Biden administration request made earlier this week. The help is sorely needed. 

The archipelago has been repeatedly hit by blackouts after a series of devastating hurricanes that crippled the electricity grid. In 2017, Hurricane Irma, which narrowly missed the main island but caused widespread blackouts, was followed by another — Maria — which killed over 4,000 people. Maria's damage to Puerto Rico's grid was so great that it took 11 months for power to be fully restored to the main island.      

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