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Monday, October 20, 2011

Resident Commissioner Inaugurates Important Solar Energy Project in San Juan

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi—joined by Luis Bernal, the Director of the Puerto Rico Energy Affairs Administration (AAE), and Roberto Castro Hiraldo, the Executive President of the Puerto Rico Insurance Cooperative (CSMPR)—today inaugurated an important solar energy project installed at the CSMPR’s central office in San Juan. The project was supported in part by federal funding provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

At a cost of $400,000—with the investment split equally between AAE and CSMPR—CSMPR installed 360 photovoltaic panels. As a result, CSMPR can achieve annual energy savings of 135,628 kilowatt-hours, worth about $40,000 per year. The project will also annually prevent about 87 metric tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the environment.

“Today, green energy and cooperativism have come together under the same roof. This terrific solar energy project is yet another example of the positive role that federal ARRA funding has played in terms of stimulating the Island’s green economy, bringing stability to our local businesses, and protecting our environment. We have seen how clean energy projects of every size have sprung up throughout the Island thanks to the local incentives provided by Governor Luis Fortuño and the funds provided under ARRA and other federal legislation. I congratulate CSMPR for its commitment to clean energy and to AAE for the support it has provided for projects like this one, which place us on the path towards a better and brighter future for Puerto Rico,” said Pierluisi.

During his visit, the Resident Commissioner discussed the benefits of this project with employees, management and members of CSMPR’s board of directors. “Conservation of the environment forms an integral part of our cooperativist philosophy. We believe in energy diversification and in the use of renewable energy sources. This modern system of photovoltaic panels puts us in a better position to confront the high cost of energy and to handle any contingencies related to energy services,” said Mr. Castro Hiraldo, CSMPR’s Executive President.

In addition to CSMPR, hundreds of organizations, commercial centers, industries, government buildings and housing facilities have benefitted from of the $130 million that Puerto Rico has received under ARRA.

“We have reached the point where renewable energy is now a real option for the people of Puerto Rico. With the help of ARRA funding, we are witnessing the energy transformation of hundreds of homes and businesses throughout the Island. But it does not end there. We have also approved local legislation creating a Green Energy Fund, through which the government of Puerto Rico will invest nearly $300 million in renewable energy projects over the next 10 years, including solar energy and wind energy projects. As we create more green jobs, promote sustainable economic development, increase our independence from oil, and take maximum advantage of the Island’s bountiful resources, we are showing the world that ‘Puerto Rico Does it Better,’” said Mr. Bernal, the Director of AAE.