The Popular Democratic Party Senate delegation presented three legislative measures on Monday to allocate $131.6 million from Puerto Rico's Emergency Reserve Fund, aimed at offsetting electricity rate increases for the October-December 2026 quarter.^[1] The money would cushion a tariff already approved. On Sept. 30, Puerto Rico's Energy Regulator cleared an increase from 28.57 to 33.85 cents per kilowatt hour, an 18.5% rise.^[2] The average residential rate on the island stands at 33.86 cents per kWh, about 85% above the continental U.S. average of 18.30 cents.^[3] Cost pressure is building on the generation side. LUMA Energy notified the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau of a $48 million net fuel cost shortfall for September.^[4] LUMA said the shortfall came from generation plant failures and delayed natural gas shipments that forced the use of more expensive diesel.^[5] The longer bill is still unsettled. Holders of unresolved debt from the former Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority are claiming roughly $12 billion.^[6] The Financial Oversight and Management Board warned that full repayment of the power authority debt could add more than 7 cents per kWh to rates for decades.^[7] That is the figure to check against any relief the $131.6 million buys for a quarter, in a territory of 3.2 million residents with a poverty rate above 40%.^[8]