LUMA’s May report shows factors slowing grid stabilization.
- The San Juan Daily Star
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
By THE STAR STAFF
LUMA Energy filed its May 2026 Monthly Collaborative Report with the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (PREB) earlier this week, detailing progress on grid stabilization efforts while again warning that it cannot comply with new reporting requirements due to a lack of regulatory guidance.
In its filing, the private operator of the island’s electric power transmission and distribution system submitted updated progress reports from itself, power plant fleet operator Genera PR, and the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), as required under the PREB’s March 28, 2025 Resolution. The report includes updates on vegetation management, transmission line hardening, substation rehabilitation, and the status of utility‑scale battery projects.
But LUMA also reiterated that it remains unable to provide the “targets” the PREB ordered in February for vegetation management, vegetation clearing and transmission line hardening. The company said the PREB has not defined what those targets should be.
“LUMA respectfully submits that … LUMA has been unable to include in the Collaborative Reports the ‘targets’ requested … due to the lack of any definition or guidance from the Energy Bureau on the requested targets,” the company wrote in the report.
LUMA “respectfully reiterates its request to the Energy Bureau to waive this requirement until such time that LUMA is able to obtain the needed clarity … and is able to appropriately implement it,” it added.
The report notes that vegetation maintenance resumed in December 2025 after a two‑month pause caused by cash‑flow constraints. LUMA reported completing 83 miles of trimming in April, bringing fiscal year (FY) 2026 totals to 1,170 miles.
The company also highlighted ongoing corrective work on transmission lines, including insulation and hardware replacements on lines in Barceloneta, San Sebastián, Río Grande and Yauco.
LUMA reported that eight transmission hardening projects have been completed, with 12 more scheduled for completion by the end of FY 2026. Several projects were removed from the active list after inspections showed no remaining deficiencies.
The report details progress on substation rehabilitation projects, including: the energization of the Bayamón TC 115/38 kilovolt (kV) transformer in May, the completion of the Fajardo Pueblo transformer replacement in March, and ongoing work at Sabana Llana, Maunabo and Guánica substations.
LUMA also reported that 89% of new protection settings for 230 kV lines have been implemented, with work continuing on 115 kV and 38 kV systems.
LUMA submitted the monthly update on the 4×25 megawatt (MW) utility‑scale battery projects, which remain stalled because PREPA has not updated the Consolidated Project List required for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reactivation.
The company also noted that procurement and land acquisition activities are frozen until FEMA reactivates the projects.
Genera PR reported that Aguirre Unit 2 is operating at 350 MW, while San Juan Unit 6’s return to service has been delayed to June due to an exciter insulation failure. Palo Seco Unit 4 remains out of service after repeated boiler failures.
Construction continues on multiple battery storage sites, including Cambalache, Vega Baja, Costa Sur, Aguirre and Yabucoa.
PREPA reported completing the operational extension for 17 TM2500 temporary generation units and noted that the Financial Oversight and Management Board conditionally approved contracts for up to 800 MW of additional temporary generation.