Ey Boricua: Esencia admits everything hinges on proving the water

On September 2, 2026, Ey Boricua reports that Esencia’s proponents acknowledged before the Senate that viability in Cabo Rojo is conditioned on proving enough water, with a second study stage still pending to set the specific capacity of the wells. Hearing condition ≠ extraction permit granted.

Roberto Ruiz Vargas (Cabo Rojo Land Acquisition / Three Rules Capital) said the project will not connect to AAA or PREPA; rejected financing a Betances expansion; and described supply via private wells, reverse osmosis, reuse, rain capture and desalination as contingency. He estimated demand of 1.5 million gallons per day versus regional capacity of ~10 million gpd from USGS data that Sen. María de Lourdes Santiago questioned as dated. Rivera Schatz: “Everything is conditioned on them demonstrating capacity”; Ruiz: “We cannot develop a project that has no water.”

On energy: an islanded microgrid (solar, batteries, private emergency generators); any interconnection only to inject surplus, per testimony. The location consult “is not a blank check”; a maritime-terrestrial zone case remains active. Allegation ≠ adjudication. Primary: Ey Boricua 2 Sep 2026.

Source: Ey Boricua. https://eyboricua.com/proponentes-de-esencia-admiten-que-el-proyecto-depende-de-demostrar-que-tiene-suficiente-agua/