PRESS RELEASE

DR. MARIO MARAZZI‐SANTIAGO

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

U.S. Energy Information Administration includes electricity generation data in PR

This makes it possible to individually access data from each ESA generating plant, among others.

San Juan, PR, July 12, 2018 — For the first time, data on each generating unit in Puerto Rico are accessible and have been included in the inventory of U.S. Energy Information Administration (LIA) which means a great achievement for the transparency of related information by the Electric Power Authority (EEA) and other energy companies in Puerto Rico.

This was confirmed by the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (Institute), representative of the Government of Puerto Rico to the EIA and which has been working for several years to integrate data from Puerto Rico into the statistical inventory of that federal entity. The EIA conducts several annual and monthly surveys of companies and entities that work in the energy industry in the United States, including the electricity sector. They allow us to know in a more timely manner the evolution of Puerto Rico's energy system.

In the case of Puerto Rico, previously it only conducted an annual survey of companies and entities in this sector. Since 2014, thanks to the coordination and initiative of the Institute, the ESA began to take part and participate in monthly electricity sector surveys that allow us to perceive short-term changes in consumption and in the price paid for electricity in Puerto Rico. Now, data is added that allows us to geographically visualize where the generating plants have been located and how much each one generates, among other details. Previously, information could only be accessed globally.

The executive director of the Institute, Dr. Mario Marazzi-Santiago, stressed the importance of continuing to add ESA statistics to the monthly surveys carried out by the EIA, since they allow us to evaluate sales, consumption and price more frequently, among other important aspects. “This is another great achievement for the transparency that our government aspires to, in every area. We will have monthly indicators of the operational status of each generating unit, which can only benefit Puerto Rico, just as the Government has announced a plan to profoundly transform the Electric Power Authority,” said the Executive Director of the Institute.

The data can be accessed through the Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory. It can be seen that before 1958 all the plants were hydroelectric. While with few exceptions, those that were built and started operations between 1958 and 2009 run on oil and are still in operation. Renewable energy sources, including solar and wind, were added in 2011. After Hurricane Maria, which hit Puerto Rico in September 2017, most of the plants are operating. Some wind and solar plants have not yet been able to resume operations, but they hope to be able to do so this year.

By law, the Institute represents the Government of Puerto Rico before the EIA. In 2013, the Institute recommended that the EIA include ESA in its monthly survey. By 2014, the fruits of this initiative began to be seen with the inclusion of Puerto Rico in one of the monthly surveys. From then on, the working sessions between the EIA and the ESA were achieved, which has allowed the above-mentioned achievements.

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is an autonomous governmental entity responsible for coordinating the Government's statistical production service to ensure that the data collection and statistics systems, on which public policies are based, are complete, reliable, and have quick and universal access. The Institute has in its inventory, accessible through www.estadisticas.pr.gov, about 300 statistical products. In addition, it is a custodian and provides access to over 100 data sets or “data sets” through www.data.pr.gov and to over 40 tables and more than 6 thousand indicators through: www.indicadores.pr.

In addition, as the leading entity of the State Data Center (SDC) of Puerto Rico, the Institute manages the SDC portal, which contains the main statistical reports and publications of the U.S. Census Bureau on Puerto Rico, specifically those that are most in demand, such as annual population estimates; the Puerto Rico Community Survey (Puerto Rico Community Survey) and official statistics on Puerto Rico's 10-year population and housing censuses, among others. The Puerto Rico SDC portal can be accessed through: https://censo.estadisticas.pr/.

For more information you can visit our website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. In addition, you can follow us on social networks through Facebook accounts (statistics.pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico).

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Press Contact: Sandra Morales Blanes/(787) 688-0401

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Federal Committee on Labor Statistics appointed Executive Director of the Institute

Puerto Rico Statistics Institute publishes Strategic Plan 2022 - 2025

The design took into account the opinion of employees in all sectors of the economy, employees of the Institute and the general public

September 28, 2022: Building on the achievements made in the previous Strategic Plan, the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute published its Strategic Plan 2022 - 2025. In order to achieve a comprehensive plan aligned with the current needs of society, the opinion of users of the Institute's products and services, as well as the opinion of the general public, was taken into consideration. In addition, an internal analysis process was carried out using the SWOT methodology (strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats).

“Among the most revealing findings of the analysis, the need for more budget and human resources capable of updating statistics more frequently, improving our technological platforms and achieving fiscal and administrative autonomy for the Institute stand out. We converted this input into goals within our strategic plan to advance our mission of continuing to publish reliable and important statistics for citizens and expanding their reach and dissemination,” said the president of the Institute's Board of Directors, Dr. Javier Hernández.

The new Strategic Plan focuses on the following 10 goals:

• Maximize the participation and effectiveness of the Statistics Coordination Committee (CCE).
• Establish and strengthen projects aimed at “filling the various empty spaces” in the various economic, social, environmental and cultural statistics.
• Strengthen the management structure of statistical projects to expand the capacity to carry out statistical and oversight projects.
• Strengthen the administrative structure that allows the proper functioning of internal processes.
• Improve the capacity and quality of technology, information systems, and the Institute's portals.
• Improve public exposure, marketing and education about our products and services.
• Strengthen, expand and modernize the Academies and Workshops Program.
• Establish and strengthen alliances with the scientific community and non-governmental entities.
• Promote the strengthening of fiscal and administrative autonomy.
• Move the Institute's physical facilities to a larger infrastructure appropriate to current needs.

Regarding additional services that the Institute could offer, respondents suggested that specialized workshops and training, scientific advice, multisectoral collaboration and community research, among others, be provided.

“Although the Institute already offers some of these services, the survey results indicate that these efforts need to be maintained and strengthened. Hand in hand with that, we must strengthen the Institute's marketing to better publicize the services we offer,” concluded Disdier.

You can access the Strategic Plan at:

Strategic Plan Statistics Institute of Puerto Rico 2022-2025.pdf

About the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics

To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook accounts (@statistics.pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR), Instagram (@institutodeestadisticas) and LinkedIn (Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics).

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