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Fuel Bills, Fuel Fights, and the Numbers Behind Them · 787daily — Puerto Rico Every Morning

• 0:00
  This is 787daily, your Puerto Rico briefing for Tuesday, October 20.
• 0:04
  Grab your coffee, because today the story is all about fuel, and who pays for it.
• 0:09
  Let's start with your power bill.
• 0:11
  LUMA reported a 54.4 million dollar fuel deficit for September to the Energy Bureau.
• 0:16
  Fuel cost $223 million, while the FCA generated 168.7 million.
• 0:21
  That gap puts another increase in Puerto Rico power bills on the table.
• 0:25
  No decision is in that report, but it is a number worth knowing about.
• 0:29
  And that fuel has to come from somewhere.
• 0:32
  On October 16, the Oversight Board approved Genera's fuel supply renewal with Novum Energy.
• 0:36
  It covers 6 million barrels of number six fuel oil a year for three years, for up to $2 billion.
• 0:43
  The fuel is meant for PREPA's Aguirre, San Juan, Palo Seco and Costa Sur plants.
• 0:48
  Then there's the other big fuel supplier in the headlines.
• 0:51
  New Fortress Energy missed its third House summons on Monday.
• 0:54
  Committee chair José Hernández Concepción says he will subpoena New Fortress Energy, under threat of a contempt citation.
• 0:59
  The company is also facing pressure from the government's side.
• 1:02
  The three P P O amended its federal lawsuit against New Fortress Energy, raising the claim from nearly $55 million to $100 million.
• 1:11
  The claim is for extra fuel costs caused by gas supply interruptions.
• 1:14
  The Puerto Rico government is also weighing whether to cancel the gas supply contract with New Fortress Energy.
• 1:20
  Now let's look at the bigger economic picture, and it's a mixed one.
• 1:24
  The Oversight Board says Puerto Rico's economy is stagnating.
• 1:27
  General Fund revenue through March 31, 2026, totaled $9.3 billion.
• 1:31
  That is down $313 million, or 3.3%, from fiscal 2025.
• 1:36
  There is a bright spot in the details, though: that total is still $305 million above the revised fiscal plan projection.
• 1:44
  Finally, a story about public money owed.
• 1:46
  The Inspector General found that the AMA, the Metropolitan Bus Authority, owes $33.2 million to Hacienda in tax debt and unremitted payroll withholdings.
• 1:54
  The exact figure, certified September 16, 2025, is 33 million, 200,000, $297 and 85 cents.
• 2:01
  Of that, 18 million, 356,000, $601 and 85 cents is principal.
• 2:06
  The other 14 million, 843,000, $696 is interest, surcharges and penalties.
• 2:11
  That's your Tuesday.
• 2:12
  You can read every story in full at 787daily.com.
• 2:17
  This has been 787daily, and we'll be back tomorrow.
• 2:20
  And before you go, your Puerto Rico fun fact for today: Roberto Clemente was the first Latin American player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.