Puerto Rico to have new runway in Aguadilla, microgrid at military base

The new runway, situated alongside the existing one -- the longest in the Caribbean at 11,700 feet -- will optimize airport operations as the current runway is converted into a high-capacity taxiway.

By The Star Staff

Puerto Rico will get a new runway in Aguadilla and a $20 million power grid at the LTC Hernán G. Pesquera Army Reserve Center in Juana Díaz.

Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia announced on Thursday the commencement of a $265 million runway construction project at Aguadilla’s Rafael Hernández International Airport.

“This project is more than just asphalt and concrete; it symbolizes progress, employment opportunities, and heightened competitiveness for Puerto Rico,” Pierluisi said.

Funding for the project includes $141 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and $124 million from the Puerto Rico government, including the Ports Authority. The new runway, situated alongside the existing one -- the longest in the Caribbean at 11,700 feet -- will optimize airport operations as the current runway is converted into a high-capacity taxiway.

Ports Authority Director Joel Pizá Batiz emphasized the runway’s positive impact on regional economic development, while Transportation and Public Works Secretary Eileen Vélez Vega highlighted its potential to enhance tourism and bolster Puerto Rico’s competitiveness within the Caribbean.

Serving more than 840,000 passengers annually as the island’s second-largest airport, Rafael Hernández International Airport generates around 1,400 direct jobs and 6,000 indirect jobs, contributing some $1.5 billion to the local economy each year.

In addition to the runway project, Pierluisi revealed plans to allocate $100 million in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds for passenger terminal expansion and runway connector construction, transforming the airport into a cutting-edge facility.

Led by Borinquen Airport Partners, a collaboration between Ferrovial Agroman and AECOM, the project is scheduled for completion in 2029 and signifies a critical step toward modernizing the airport and strengthening Puerto Rico’s infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Virginia-based Parsons Corp. announced this week that it was awarded the LTC Hernán G. Pesquera Army Reserve Center Microgrid contract by the United States Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District. The $20 million contract, including base plus options, to enhance energy resilience and sustainability for the Pesquera Army Reserve Center consists of 610 days of performance and is new work for the company.

Under the contract, Parsons will deliver critical infrastructure protection capabilities designed to enhance energy reliability, resilience, and sustainability for the Army Reserve Center in Juana Díaz, including installing security measures, generators, photovoltaic cells, a battery energy storage system, microgrid controllers, and all necessary cabling to ensure a robust and efficient microgrid system.