Construction in Puerto Rico grows 9.55% in fiscal 2026
The Planning Board reported accelerated growth driven mainly by public investment and recovery programs, up from 5.92% the previous year.
PhotoThe short version
- NotiCel reports the construction sector posted preliminary 9.55% growth in fiscal 2026 versus 5.92% in fiscal 2025
- El Vocero reports public-sector works including aqueducts, power and infrastructure rose 11.7% while recovery programs grew 21.9%
- Both outlets state private investment grew with pharmaceutical, telecom and renewable-energy projects up 17.5% while private housing and subdivisions rose 1.0%
- Planning Board president Héctor Morales Martínez said public investment plays a decisive role and the data will guide economic policy
Accelerated growth led by public works
The activity of construction in Puerto Rico registered a preliminary growth of 9.55% in fiscal year 2026, compared with an increase of 5.92% in fiscal 2025, NotiCel reported. The Planning Board (JP) said the results reflect an acceleration of investment in works, with the public sector as the main driver and a 21.9% rise in recovery programs.
According to the JP, public-sector installations that include aqueduct, electric-power and infrastructure projects grew 11.7%, while the component covering central government, municipalities and recovery programs increased 11.5%. El Vocero reported the same figures and noted that private-sector installations and other projects, which include investments in pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and renewable energy, rose 17.5%.
Also on PuertoRico.com: Cost of living in Puerto Rico
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Los datos muestran que la construcción continúa creciendo y que la inversión pública tiene un papel determinante en ese avance.
Our translation: The data show that construction continues to grow and that public investment has a determining role in that advance.
The source's own statement, as quoted by NotiCel. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Private sector shows mixed results
Within the private sector, housing and subdivisions each grew 1.0%, while commercial and industrial buildings recorded a 0.4% decline, both outlets stated. The JP prepared the Valor de la Actividad de la Construcción through a survey conducted by its Unidad de Construcción; the statistic measures the value of works performed and is used to calculate fixed-asset investment, one component of gross domestic product.
Planning Board president Héctor Morales Martínez told reporters the data show construction continues to grow and that public investment has a determining role. He added that reconstruction represents an opportunity to improve infrastructure and stimulate economic activity. Morales Martínez said the statistics help identify where investment is increasing and which areas need more attention to support public-policy decisions.
Where the sources differ
NotiCel and El Vocero agree on all headline figures: 9.55% overall growth in fiscal 2026, 5.92% in 2025, 21.9% for recovery programs, 11.7% for public installations, 11.5% for central government/municipal/recovery component, 17.5% for selected private projects, 1.0% for private housing and subdivisions, and -0.4% for commercial/industrial buildings. Both quote Planning Board president Héctor Morales Martínez using nearly identical language on the role of public investment and the utility of the statistics. NotiCel adds that the report is one of the first products of the Cuentas Sociales for fiscal 2026 and was produced by the Unidad de Construcción within the Programa de Planificación Económica y Social; El Vocero reports the same methodological details.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not provide the absolute dollar value of construction activity in either year, the exact share of public versus private investment, quarterly or semi-annual breakdowns, or specific major projects driving the growth. They also omit any projection for fiscal 2027, the impact on employment, or whether the preliminary figure is expected to be revised.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official La construcción acelera su crecimiento y alcanza un aumento preliminar de 9.55 % en 2026
- Reporting La construcción acelera su crecimiento y alcanza un aumento preliminar de 9.55 % en 2026
- Reporting Acelera la construcción en Puerto Rico con alza de 9.55% en el año fiscal 2026
How we checked this
Both NotiCel and El Vocero based their articles on the same Junta de Planificación release of the Valor de la Actividad de la Construcción for fiscal 2026. All growth rates, the quoted statements by Héctor Morales Martínez, and the methodological description rest on the official JP data and its president's comments.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.