Washington Watch: Energy Week of February 9, 2026 | House Energy & Commerce Committee | Vol. 1, Issue 1

Weekly Energy Policy Briefing — Puerto Rico Focus

Week of February 9, 2026  |  House Energy & Commerce Committee  |  Vol. 1, Issue 1

This Week at a Glance

The biggest energy development this week came from the Department of Energy, not Capitol Hill. Secretary Chris Wright renewed two emergency orders authorizing PREPA to dispatch generation units ahead of hurricane season, authorizing the dispatch of up to 820 MW of generation capacity on Puerto Rico's grid. The orders run through May 11, 2026, and are critical for maintaining reliability as the island enters its most vulnerable months.

On Capitol Hill, the Energy Subcommittee's recent markup of five cybersecurity bills continues to advance through the committee process, addressing threats from Chinese state-backed hacker groups targeting U.S. energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Secretary Wright traveled to Caracas to explore energy collaboration with Venezuela's new interim leadership, and DOE announced $175 million for coal plant modernization across six facilities.

Puerto Rico Energy

DOE Renews Emergency Orders for Puerto Rico's Grid

February 10, 2026

Secretary of Energy Chris Wright renewed two emergency orders authorizing PREPA to dispatch generation units essential for maintaining critical capacity and minimizing blackouts as the island prepares for hurricane season.

Key Facts:

• Emergency orders authorize the dispatch of up to 820 MW of generation capacity that would otherwise be unavailable under normal regulatory conditions.
• This raises the island's total generation capacity to approximately 6,400 MW
• The orders are in effect from February 10 through May 11, 2026
• The orders enable PREPA to bypass certain regulatory constraints to ensure grid reliability

Why This Matters for Puerto Rico: These emergency orders are the federal government's most direct intervention in Puerto Rico's ongoing grid crisis. Energy developers, independent power producers, and government contractors operating on the island should be aware that the orders create a temporary regulatory environment that differs from standard operating conditions. With the 2026 hurricane season beginning June 1, the window between the orders' May 11 expiration and the start of hurricane season is extremely narrow — watch for whether DOE extends them further.

Context: Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance drew national attention to Puerto Rico's ongoing power grid challenges, amplifying public awareness at a critical moment for federal energy policy affecting the island.

On the Hill

Energy Subcommittee: Cybersecurity Bills Advance

February 4, 2026  |  Rayburn 2123  |  Chair: Rep. Bob Latta (OH-05)

The Energy Subcommittee marked up and advanced five bills focused on strengthening the cybersecurity and physical security of U.S. energy infrastructure. All five were forwarded to the full committee. Chairman Latta stated that these bills "will update and enhance programs to help ensure the physical and cyber security of our nation's energy infrastructure, including our electric grid."

The five bills:

• H.R. 7258, Energy Emergency Leadership Act: Elevates energy emergency and energy security functions within DOE by designating them to an Assistant Secretary. This bill is directly relevant to Puerto Rico, where DOE emergency orders have been the primary federal mechanism for addressing grid reliability.
• H.R. 7257, SECURE Grid Act: Strengthens community-level grid resilience and upgrades, focusing on securing the electric grid from cyber and physical threats.
• H.R. 7266, Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act: Ensures rural electric cooperatives and small utilities have access to advanced cybersecurity tools, technical assistance, and grant funding. Rep. Miller-Meeks noted that rural cooperatives "face the same sophisticated cyber threats as major metropolitan systems but often lack the resources to defend against them."
• H.R. 7272, Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act: Addresses cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the nation's pipeline infrastructure.
• H.R. 7305, Energy Threat Analysis Center Act of 2026: Reauthorizes ETAC at DOE, which facilitates public-private collaboration on energy infrastructure defense. Rep. Evans emphasized the threat from Chinese state-backed groups like Volt Typhoon and Salt Typhoon that "have already embedded themselves in networks within critical infrastructure."

What to Watch: These bills had strong bipartisan support and are expected to move through the full committee. The Energy Emergency Leadership Act is particularly significant for Puerto Rico, as it would formalize the kind of emergency authority DOE has been exercising through the orders renewed this week.

Agency Watch: DOE

Secretary Wright Travels to Caracas

February 11, 2026

Secretary Wright traveled to Venezuela to explore energy collaboration with the country's new interim leadership. The implications for Puerto Rico and the broader Caribbean energy market are significant — Venezuela has historically been a major oil supplier to the region, and any shift in U.S.-Venezuela energy relations could affect fuel supply and pricing for the island's generation fleet.

Coal Plant Modernization: $175 Million Announced

February 11, 2026

DOE announced an additional $175 million to modernize coal power plants across six facilities in West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, and Kentucky. While not directly tied to Puerto Rico, this signals the administration's continued commitment to maintaining dispatchable baseload generation — a policy framework that supports the kind of thermal generation that PREPA relies on.

Other DOE Activity

• Genesis Mission Consortium (Feb. 9): DOE launched a new consortium to accelerate AI-driven scientific innovation, including applications in energy systems optimization and grid management.
• First American Aluminum Smelter Since 1980 (Feb. 10): DOE celebrated the construction of a new aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma, reflecting the administration's broader push to reshore energy-intensive manufacturing.

Recent Committee Activity

FERC Oversight Hearing (Week of February 2)

The Energy Subcommittee held an oversight hearing on FERC, examining the commission's role in ensuring affordable and reliable energy. FERC's regulatory authority over wholesale electricity markets and interstate transmission is directly relevant to Puerto Rico's energy transition and grid modernization.

Full Committee Markup: 11 Bills Advanced (January 21)

Chairman Guthrie led a full committee markup advancing 11 pieces of legislation including the FENCES Act (Clean Air Act permitting reform), the CLEAR Act, hydropower project extension legislation, and the FIRE Act (wildfire emissions). The committee framed these as bills to "unleash American energy" and "support reliable and affordable power."

Looking Ahead

FERC February Commission Meeting is scheduled for February 19, 2026. Any orders or policy statements affecting wholesale markets, transmission planning, or generator interconnection could have implications for Puerto Rico's energy sector.

No Energy Subcommittee hearings or markups have been announced for the week of February 16. We will continue monitoring for scheduling announcements.

On Our Radar:

• Whether DOE signals any intention to extend emergency orders beyond May 11, given the June 1 start of hurricane season
• The five cybersecurity bills advancing to full committee markup
• FERC's February meeting and any actions affecting grid reliability standards
• Developments from Secretary Wright's Venezuela engagement and implications for Caribbean energy markets
• Congressional permitting reform negotiations, which have stalled in the Senate over disagreements on transmission language

NEED MORE DETAIL?

Maceira Zayas Law offers in-depth regulatory analysis, legislative tracking, and staff training on federal energy developments affecting Puerto Rico. For questions about any item in this briefing, or to schedule a consultation on how these developments may affect your organization, contact:

Anthony O. Maceira

Managing Member

amaceira@mzls.com

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© 2026 Maceira Zayas Law. All rights reserved. This briefing is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

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