P.R. Laws tit. 3, § 9129
The Entities of the Executive Branch shall promote the wise and efficient use of public utilities. In order to achieve the objectives and meet the requirements of the current fiscal emergency which demands the responsible and effective use of the limited government resources, the duty of all the Entities of the Executive Branch of reducing the consumption of public utility services such as electric power, as well as aqueduct and sewer, is hereby reasserted.
Regarding the efficient use of electric power, it is hereby provided that all the Entities of the Executive Branch shall faithfully meet the energy conservation requirements established in §§1053—1053b of Title 22, known as the “Puerto Rico Energy Transformation and Relief Act”. The Entities of the Executive Branch are hereby authorized to request to the Commonwealth Energy Public Policy Office (CEPPO) an adjustment in the energy baseline consumption, according to the consumed kilowatt-hour, in light of the additional burden entailed by new facilities or buildings, or improvements to existing buildings, provided that CEPPO certifies that the additional burden entailed by new facilities or buildings or improvements has been certified as efficient in accordance with the parameters established by CEPPO through regulations. CEPPO shall adopt regulations as are necessary to enforce these requirements.
During the effective term of this subchapter, with respect to the Entities of the Executive Branch whose operating expenses are defrayed totally or partially from the General Fund, the base rate of aqueduct and sewer services in effect on July 1st, 2014, shall not be increased, unless modified by subsequent legislation. The rate provided in Section 8 of Joint Resolution No. 16-2013, whose terms are hereby reasserted and ratified retroactively to the effective date thereof, shall be deemed to be the rate in effect as of July 1st, 2014.
Furthermore, with respect to aqueduct and sewer consumption, the Entities of the Executive Branch whose operating expenses are defrayed totally or partially from the General Fund, shall reduce their expenditures in connection with aqueduct and sewer consumption costs by five percent (5%) annually for the years 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17 to show a total reduction of fifteen percent (15%) in those three (3) years. The reduction percentage shall be computed using as a basis the aqueduct and sewer consumption for 2012-13. The Office of Management and Budget shall oversee faithful compliance with the reduction of aqueduct and sewer spending established for the Entities of the Executive Branch. For those Entities of the Executive Branch that fail to comply with the percentage rate reduction of aqueduct and sewer spending, the Office of Management and Budget may reduce their operating expense budget for the following fiscal year, which shall be equal to the monetary value of the consumption in excess of the reduction rate established.
History —June 17, 2014, No. 66, § 23.