Small Business Owners in Santurce Feeling the Brunt of Energy Price Hike

Since opening my taco stand in Santurce in 2023, I've seen firsthand how a single increase in utility costs can threaten the survival of a small business. Now, the recent surge in energy prices is hitting even harder, leaving many owners struggling to make ends meet.

Wanda Rodriguez Castro, who runs Waleska’s Cake in Guaynabo, is one of many affected. The recent increase in electricity costs has pushed her monthly bill from $1,100 to $1,400, with additional expenses for gas and ingredients. This means she needs to sell a significant number of cakes just to cover the basic costs, a challenge she admits even if she had started her business a few days earlier.

Others like Ginny Barley, the owner of Musa in Guaynabo, have decided against increasing their prices. Instead, they're looking for ways to manage the added costs without passing them on to customers, recognizing the difficult financial situation they're in.

Miguel Rivera Almodóvar, the owner of Reno Bike in Guaynabo, describes the price hike as ‘barbaric’, noting that not only does the electricity cost increase, but so do inventory costs. For someone like him, running a business in his 70s, this is a real struggle.

As a resident of Santurce, these price hikes are affecting everyone in the community, from small business owners to regular customers. It’s crucial that the government and local authorities consider ways to mitigate these impacts and help businesses survive these challenging times.