Hospitals Seek Special Power Rate: A 175-Bed Hospital Could Pay $60,000 More a Month

Puerto Rico's hospitals are sounding the alarm over electricity. The Colegio de Administradores de Servicios de Salud (CASS) is pressing the Energy Bureau to approve a special rate for health facilities, and it has put a number on the table: a 175-bed acute-care hospital could face roughly $60,000 more per month, the equivalent of the cost of 15 nursing professionals ¹². The group's president, Tania Conde Sterling, puts it this way: "Electricity is not a luxury for the health sector; it is an essential service to save lives" ².

Background

The request did not start this week. On October 23, CASS wrote to Energy Bureau (NEPR) president Edison Avilés Deliz to oppose a proposed electricity rate increase that comes without safeguards for the health sector, as reported on October 27 ³. The group warned that the increase would have a "direct and severe impact" on its institutions' operating costs and that health is "one of the most vulnerable sectors" to any swing in energy costs ³.

The backdrop is familiar to anyone who has opened a power bill. An increase of about 20% took effect in early October after the quarterly fuel adjustment, and LUMA Energy warned of a $48 million shortfall in September that could trigger an "accelerated" rate review ³. A hospital cannot switch anything off.

Key facts and numbers

• How much: about $60,000 a month more for a 175-bed acute-care hospital, by CASS's calculation ¹². This is a hypothetical estimate from the trade group, not a figure from the Bureau or from any specific hospital.
• Who is affected: more than 800 health service entities, from hospitals, hospices and dialysis centers to emergency rooms, long-term care units, mental health centers, primary care centers, clinical laboratories and long-term care homes ³.
• Why they cannot cut back: they operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week ³. They need stable power for specialized equipment, operating rooms, and refrigeration for blood and medications ¹.
• Three concrete demands: a special rate for health facilities approved by NEPR; a bill establishing special rates, energy-efficiency incentives and mechanisms for a transition to renewable energy; and energy incentives from the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) similar to those given to other industries, such as hospitality ¹².
• Government reaction: Health Secretary Víctor Ramos Otero said his department will evaluate the proposal and agreed that measures are needed because the situation could harm patients and the delivery of health services ⁴.

What it means for you

If you are a patient, your hospital's or lab's power bill does not stay in the administrator's office. When operating costs rise without a special rate, the trade group warns that resources available for patient care shrink ¹. Today there is no announced service cancellation or closure; what exists is a financial warning with a dollar example. But that warning arrives just as the health system is also watching Medicaid funding, and every line item counts.

How to / Checklist

1. Check your power bill and compare October's charge to September's; the increase of about 20% is already in effect ³.
2. Follow the case at the Energy Bureau at energia.pr.gov, where agendas, orders and hearing calendars are posted. We found no notice of a public hearing on this request, so confirm there before planning anything.
3. If you run a clinic, lab, pharmacy or care home, gather your last 12 months of bills and your operating data. CASS proposed filing a written submission with economic and operational data, and your numbers strengthen that record ³.
4. Write to your representative or senator and ask where they stand on a bill for special rates for health facilities; CASS says it is taking the issue to the Legislature ².

What's next

The Bureau has not publicly responded to CASS's request, and there is no confirmed date for a decision ³. On the executive side, Health is evaluating the proposal ⁴. In the Legislature, the group says it will seek a bill. Also pending is the rate review: LUMA has already spoken of an "accelerated" process because of its $48 million shortfall ³. If that review moves forward, the debate over whether health care deserves different treatment will heat up.

Sources

1. Metro Puerto Rico, "Ahora fue: Altos costos de luz amenazan servicios a pacientes en hospitales," November 3, 2026.
2. Telemundo Puerto Rico, "Administradores de hospitales insisten en tarifa especial ante aumento en la luz," November 3, 2026.
3. El Nuevo Día, "Limitaciones en el acceso a la atención médica: administradores de servicios de salud advierten del peligro de alza en costo de luz," October 27, 2026.
4. WAPA-TV / Noticentro, "Salud evaluará propuesta que busca tarifa especial de luz en instituciones médicas," October 27, 2026 (updated October 30).