Puerto Rico has struggled with high costs and lack of local control over its energy system for decades. In the 1940s, a federally appointed governor gave municipalities free electricity, costing customers heavily. More recently, a federal control board stripped Puerto Rico of financial autonomy as part of an economic oversight program. The board also imposed the highest sales tax in the nation to repay hedge fund creditors. The document argues that decentralizing ownership of renewable energy projects to the community level would increase local benefits in Puerto Rico by creating more jobs and greater economic impact compared to privately or federally controlled systems.