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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Presentan Sistema de Indicadores de Puerto Rico: http://www.indicadores.pr. El nuevo portal permite un acceso fácil y rápido a los indicadores estadísticos de mayor importancia para Puerto Rico desde un solo lugar

PRESS RELEASE

Statistics Institute releases first results on the Study of the Needs of the Deaf Community in Puerto Rico

84% of totally deaf people surveyed who needed public safety services and 75% of those who needed services in government agencies faced barriers

July 21, 2022: The executive director of the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (Institute), Dr. Orville M. Disdier, presented the first results of the Study of the Needs of the Deaf Community in Puerto Rico, through an interactive digital report. This new product, called “Study of the Needs of the Deaf Community: Interactive Report”, presents the first results of the Population Survey that the Institute conducted, both to deaf and partially deaf people, and to the general public. In addition, the interactive report presents the results of focus group interviews with teachers of students with hearing difficulties. The platform presents, for both deaf and partially deaf people, data and statistics on socio-demographic aspects, on the difficulties presented when requesting services, both governmental and non-governmental, on the communication methods used by this community and on the difficulties in accessing information offered by various means of communication, among other findings.

“The data and statistics presented in this interactive report serve as an empirical basis to justify various initiatives and the development of new public policies that promote quality services and better integration of deaf people into the rest of society, while promoting equity and social justice,” said Dr. Disdier.

Some of the most relevant results of the Deaf Community Needs Study:

• 9% of all respondents indicated that they were completely deaf.
• 14% of all respondents indicated that they are partially deaf.
• 62% of the totally deaf people who participated in the survey were deaf at birth, while the remaining 38% became deaf sometime after their birth.
• 66% of the partially deaf who participated in the survey have a level of severe or profound deafness.
• 86% of the totally deaf people surveyed said they often feel discriminated against (41% very often and 45% sometimes). On the other hand, 68% of the partially deaf people surveyed said they often feel discriminated against (20% very often and 48% sometimes).
• 84% of the totally deaf people surveyed, who needed public safety services, faced barriers.
• 75% of the totally deaf people surveyed, who needed services from government agencies, faced barriers.
• On the other hand, 53% of the partially deaf people surveyed, who needed services from government agencies, faced barriers.
• Other places where the totally deaf people surveyed mentioned that they have faced difficulty receiving services, integrating or participating, are:
  • Hospitals (55%)
  • Medical offices (46%)
  • Restaurants (42%)
  • Banks or cooperatives (42%)
  • Place of employment (34%)
  • Cinema or theater (28%)
  • Supermarkets (24%)
  • Concerts or festivals (22%)
  • Gas stations (22%)
• The communication methods used by the totally deaf people surveyed are:
  • Lip reading (83%)
  • ASL signs (64%)
  • Writing (65%)
  • Verbal (59%)
  • Creole signs (56%)
  • Interpreter (45%)
  • Non-formal signs (26%)
• On the other hand, the communication methods most used by partially deaf people surveyed are verbal (87%), lip reading (59%) and written (43%).
• 51% of the totally deaf people surveyed reported using one of the following headphone devices:
  • Behind the ear or behind the ear (64%)
  • CROS hearing aid — BI-CROS (14%)
  • In the ear — Intra shell (11%)
  • Cochlear implant (8%)
  • Open ear — miniature size (3%)
• 58% of partially deaf people surveyed reported using one of the following headphone devices:
  • Behind the ear or behind the ear (53%)
  • CROS hearing aid — BI-CROS (26%)
  • In the channel — Intracanal (11%)
  • In the ear — Intra shell (5%)
  • Other (6%)
• 10% of all respondents indicated that they are hearing people (who are not deaf or partially deaf) but who live with a deaf person.
• 43% of the listeners surveyed, who live with a deaf person, have not taken sign language courses.
• On the other hand, 42% of all respondents indicated that they are hearing people (who are not deaf or partially deaf) but who know a deaf person.
• 25% of all respondents indicated that they are hearing people (who are not deaf or partially deaf) who do not live with a deaf person and who do not know a deaf person.
• In general terms, the educators who participated in the focus groups agreed that there are not many materials adapted for deaf students, so sometimes the teachers themselves have to modify the materials.

In the same way, the educators who participated in the focus groups agreed that in general, parents and/or guardians are not given the necessary support at the time the child is diagnosed. Dr. Disdier explained that the final sample of the survey consisted of 739 adults, 18 years of age or older, living in Puerto Rico, and it was accessible for more than sixty (60) days. A total of 21 educators were part of several focus groups, in which in-depth conversations were held about the needs of deaf students. In this regard, Dr. Disdier argued that “The data collected by educators of deaf students alert us that, like deaf adults, deaf children and adolescents also face challenges and needs, and that these challenges and needs are different and require actions adapted to that demographic sector.”

For his part, Manuel Mangual, Evaluation Specialist, who managed the study, explained that there are still some survey questions that are being processed and whose data will eventually be added to the interactive report. Likewise, in the coming weeks, additional focus group interviews will be conducted, whose results will also be included in the report, expanding and strengthening it. “Working on this project, for the benefit of deaf and partially deaf people, has been a lot of learning, enthusiasm and pride. The study participants gave us the confidence to be part of one voice when it came to their needs. During the next phases, we will continue to produce information aimed at promoting a more inclusive society,” emphasized Mangual.

The Study of the Needs of the Deaf Community: Interactive Report, resides on the website of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics and can be accessed at any time by interested parties at the following e-mail address: Outcomes and Needs Deaf Community.

For technical questions about this report, you can send an email to: preguntas@estadisticas.pr.

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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