Power bills rose on October 1: a residential customer without a subsidy who uses 800 kilowatt-hours a month now pays $270.86, $42.27 more than last quarter. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search near Mona Island after 49 people were rescued and three bodies recovered from a capsized migrant boat.
Government and politics
- FEMA Approves $71 Million for Puerto Rico Disaster Recovery — FEMA has approved over $71 million in additional funding for Puerto Rico.
- Hiram Torres Montalvo Wins Cataño Mayoral Election — Torres Montalvo won the Sep 27 special election with 1,733 votes, 246 more than Bethzaida Rodríguez Torres.
Energy
- Electric Bill Hits Record: $113 More per Month Since LUMA Took Over — From October 1, a residential customer without a subsidy who uses 800 kilowatt-hours pays $270.86 a month.
- Puerto Rico Electric Bills to Rise Starting Oct 1, Energy Bureau Confirms — The average residential customer will pay $42.27 more on their electricity bill.
- Resident Commissioner Blames Government for Electricity Rate Hike, Proposes Four Relief Measures — Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera blamed the 18% rise on slow reconstruction and dependence on a single gas supplier.
- Record Electricity Bill and Millions for New Fortress — Puerto Rico’s electricity tariff reached a record high of 33.86 cents per kilowatt hour.
- Entry of LNG Tanker Amur River into San Juan Bay Put on Hold Amid Legal Dispute — The tanker did not enter San Juan Bay on Sunday as announced; New Fortress Energy cited uncertainty over payments for its gas.
Economy
- Puerto Rico Mayors’ Association Backs Aguada Municipality in Construction Tax Appeal — The Association of Mayors of Puerto Rico is joining as amicus curiae in a potential appeal of a case regarding construction fees in Aguada.
- Oversight Board Asks FEMA to Clarify Whether Municipalities Can Tax Federally Funded Construction Projects — The Oversight Board (JSF) has requested clarification from FEMA on construction taxes for federally funded projects.
Health and schools
- US Health Secretary Visits Puerto Rico to Inaugurate New Hospital in Vieques — The new Hospital Susana Centeno in Vieques was inaugurated with a total investment of $85.5 million.
- Nearly Half of Puerto Rico’s Dengue Cases Ended in Hospitalization — 49.5% of dengue cases in Puerto Rico required hospitalization.
Roads and travel
- Oversight Board Clears $114 Million for Road Repaving in 40 Municipalities — The money will repave and repair about 291 kilometers of roads.
- Highway Authority Announces AutoExpreso Fines Will Resume October 19 — The Highway and Transportation Authority said the fines return under the Fiscal Plan the Oversight Board certified.
Around the island
- Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Migrants After Capsizing in Mona Passage — After 78 hours, the Coast Guard ended its search; 49 survivors were brought ashore and three bodies recovered from a boat that carried 62 people.
- Daycare License Suspended After Baby’s Death in Bayamón — The Department of Family suspended the license of ‘Pasemisin Kids’ daycare center due to non-compliances related to supervision and personnel.
Water: the week in the reservoirs is in Water Week in Review.
The live picture is on the power tracker and the legislature tracker. This is the 5th Week in Puerto Rico (last week’s is here).
Sources: the reporting linked above.
Corrected October 4: an earlier version said households faced a $270.86 bill “and another $42.27 coming”; the $42.27 rise is part of the $270.86 bill, both from October 1. It also gave the shipwreck’s first count (40 rescued, two dead) and Cataño’s election as still to come, and carried reservoir figures for a different week than our Water Week in Review, which now has the reservoirs alone.