PREPA: June energy consumption generates $434.6M in revenue

The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority generated more than $434.6 million in revenue from island residential and commercial consumers, who burned through more than 1.5 billion kilowatt-hours of energy in June, the start of the sweltering summer season.
Data released Thursday shows that 65 percent, or $279.9 million, of the agency’s revenue is attributed to the so-called fuel oil adjustment charge, while $90.6 million stemmed from basic revenue and $64.1 million to the agency’s purchase power.
PREPA’s combined revenue in May exceeded $341.4 million. The total was about 8.5 percent lower, even though when electricity consumption was virtually the same as in June, the data shows. Energy consumption in June 2010 exceeded 1.6 billion kWh.
In terms of costs, the agency’s estimated 1.3 million residential and 129,000 commercial customers paid nearly 28 cents per kWh. Meanwhile, 753 industrial clients paid 24.3 cents per kWh, while some 1,293 agricultural operations paid 30.3 cents per kWh, the data shows. On average, Puerto Rico’s energy costs are among the highest in the world.
PREPA’s energy production is concentrated in five main power plants: Costa Sur, Aguirre, San Juan, Palo Seco and Cambalache. Sixty-eight percent of the total energy production is fuel oil-based; 15 percent is natural gas; 15 percent is coal; and approximately 2 percent is hydro, the agency’s website states.