Legislator seeks data from LUMA on breakdowns that put 120,000 customers in the dark

Rep. Víctor Parés Otero

By THE STAR STAFF

After the loss of 400 megawatts of generation in the electrical system late last week, lawmaker Víctor Parés Otero, who chairs the Government Committee in the island House of Representatives, will request from LUMA Energy LLC, the private operator of the electrical transmission and distribution network, all data, including maintenance logs, corresponding to the transmission center at the Costa Sur power plant and line number 50400, which connects the plant with the transmission centers in the municipality of Mayagüez.

“Last Thursday, a significant event occurred that resulted in a loss of approximately 400 megawatts of power,” Parés Otero said. “... [W]e are requesting all data from LUMA Energy regarding this facility, including service and maintenance logs, as well as records of brush clearing and maintenance work on line number 50400, which runs from Costa Sur to Mayagüez.”

Last Thursday, around 120,000 LUMA customers were left without electricity service as a result of a series of breakdowns at the aforementioned center and on the transmission line, among others.

“Thanks to the signing of Law 1-2025, electricity generation is available to mitigate the effects of this event,” the legislator noted. “However, it is imperative to understand, in detail, everything associated with this event in its two aspects: the center and the line. We will evaluate the data that LUMA Energy sends us to determine the next steps. The goal of this investigation is to correct any deficiencies and prevent similar events.”

Parés Otero added that Law 1-2025, which went into force on March 19, 2025, guaranteeing a generation of 500 megawatts, is essential to maintaining an energy reserve for the summer months, when electricity consumption is at its highest.