By Matthew Holloway |

Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-07), long known for both his advocacy of ‘Green New Deal’-style energy policy and for ignoring if not voting against Arizona’s energy interests, saw fit to intervene on behalf of the Puerto Rican government and solar lobbyists on May 17th.

In a letter to the Financial Oversight and Management Board (FOMB) for Puerto Rico, Grijalva along with co-signers such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13), called upon the board to reverse a decision directing the Governor and Legislature of Puerto Rico to “repeal or amend the recently enacted Puerto Rico Law 10-2024,” which would require the continuation of a ‘net metering’ study for solar customers, subsidizing rooftop solar until at least 2031.

The lawmakers wrote, “Making rooftop solar and battery storage systems less affordable could hurt the lowest-income people most. Should net metering be eliminated or weakened, the result would be a growing divide between those stuck with exorbitant energy prices from imported fossil fuels and those who can afford their own dependable solar and battery system. Slowing the adoption of rooftop solar and batteries would mean missed opportunities to leverage the private market to protect those most vulnerable to another hurricane’s impacts.”

The ‘net metering,’ program from the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (PREB) required the bankrupt Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), a government-owned monopoly, to keep an existing study scheduled to sunset in place which pays out solar customers for the energy returned to the grid.

In an April 10th blog post, the board explained, “Act 10 suspends this schedule, requiring PREB to redo its net metering and energy distribution study – but not until January 2030. Act 10 further specifies that PREB may not change the current net metering structure until the study is completed, and then provides that any changes can only take effect 12 months after PREB decides to make any such changes. That means, Act 10 mandates that the current net metering structure remain in place until at least 2031, and likely much longer.”

The FOMB is mandated to address the fiscal disaster that has afflicted the territorial government of Puerto Rico since 2014 and was badly exacerbated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. In a statement released in February the board laid out a comprehensive plan to help PREPA recover from bankruptcy. The board was created under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act of 2016 or PROMESA and enacted the directive “to reduce more than $10 billion of total asserted claims against the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA).” Overall, FOMB’s plan is set to reduce principal and interest payments to Puerto Rico’s creditors “from about $20 billion under their asserted claim, to about $5 billion.”

The board warned in a statement. “Puerto Rico’s energy system cannot fully improve with PREPA in bankruptcy. The Plan provides a path to end PREPA’s bankruptcy.”

Prior to his announcement of an undisclosed cancer diagnosis in early April, Grijalva, 76, had not voted on an energy bill since February 15 when he voted against HR 7176: the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024.

His unfortunate diagnosis notwithstanding, throughout his long history in the House dating back to 2003, Grijalva has consistently voted against key legislation aimed at improving the energy industry of Arizona and the lives of its residents. Even prior to floor voting, Grijalva holds considerable sway over energy policy owing to his seat as Ranking Member of the powerful House Committee on Natural Resources as well as his seat on the Energy and Mineral Resource sub-committee.

Over the years according to Vote Smart, Grijalva failed to vote on such measures as: HR 6544-The Atomic Energy Advancement Act and HR 6009-The Restoring American Energy Dominance Act.

The congressman even voted against bills such as:

• HR 7176- the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024
• HR 1-The Lowering Energy Costs Act
• HR 538- The Native American Energy Act
• S. 512- The Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act
• HR 4899- The Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel and American That Works Act of 2014
• HR 3826- The Electricity Security and Affordability Act

Arizona’s seventh congressional district, represented by Grijalva covers approximately 90% of Arizona’s border with Mexico and encompasses the tribal land of the Tohono O’odham tribe and the service area of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Facility, areas heavily impacted by these measures. In 2024, major Arizona utility APS is slated to increase electricity rates by 8%, an average of about $10.50 per month according to 12News. According to AAA, the current average price for gasoline in Arizona is about $3.87 compared to an average of $2.44 in 2020 per KTAR.

Matthew Holloway is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.