Governor orders probe into possible criminal action by LUMA for cutting night crews

“The secretary of justice has been asked to evaluate whether this could constitute criminal action by LUMA, unilaterally deciding to withdraw crews from the electrical system during nighttime hours,” Gov. Jenniffer González Colón said at a press conference held at Palo Seco Power Plant in Toa Baja.

By THE STAR STAFF

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón announced on Thursday that she has requested that Justice Secretary Lourdes Gómez Torres investigate whether LUMA Energy’s decision to reduce night shift staff could constitute criminal action for violating the electricity transmission and distribution contract.

“The secretary of justice has been asked to evaluate whether this could constitute criminal action by LUMA, unilaterally deciding to withdraw crews from the electrical system during nighttime hours,” the governor said at a press conference in Toa Baja.

González Colón stated that current generation is sufficient to supply the electrical system and that selectively interrupting service when there are no major failures is not justified. She added that the situation could imply a coordinated action that injures the people of Puerto Rico.

“Because it seems to me that it’s a concerted effort that there are areas without power, even though we have sufficient generation to supply the people of Puerto Rico,” she said. “It’s one thing for the system to be running and for us to have generation, as we do today. And it’s another thing for one of these machines or any other to have a major failure and lose 250, 300, or 400 megawatts, as has perhaps happened in the past, and it can be understood that there should be a load shift to keep the system up and running. What’s not justifiable is that, even though there’s sufficient generation, they selectively decide to carry out load shifts to interrupt service.”

The governor’s remarks came after her visit to the Palo Seco Power Plant in Toa Baja, where she announced the reactivation of Unit 4, which adds 216 megawatts to the system. The plant had been out of service since August 2023 due to a major failure.

“After more than two years out of service, we announce the return to operation of Unit 4 of the Palo Seco Power Plant, an essential component for the reliability of the electrical system, especially in the metropolitan area,” González Colón said.

The governor was accompanied by Public-Private Partnerships Authority Executive Director Josué Colón Ortiz, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority Executive Director Mary C. Zapata Acosta, Genera PR CEO Winnie Irizarry Velázquez and Genera PR Vice President of Public & Government Affairs Iván Báez Santiago.

The repair work required an investment of some $20 million from the federal Department of Energy and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The unit is currently operating on a limited basis while testing is completed to reach full capacity.

Available generating capacity at the Palo Seco Power