LUMA to install island’s largest transformer in Carolina

The transformer to be installed at the Sabana Llana Transmission Center in Carolina, which officials say will be the largest ever seen in Puerto Rico, will directly impact more than 200,000 electrical energy customers.

By THE STAR STAFF

LUMA Energy announced Thursday the arrival of the largest and most powerful transformer in the history of Puerto Rico’s electrical grid, a key development in the island’s ongoing energy infrastructure modernization.

The transformer will be installed at the Sabana Llana Transmission Center in Carolina, directly impacting more than 200,000 customers and indirectly benefiting more than 700,000 by enhancing grid stability and reducing the risk of large-scale outages.

Funded entirely by federal dollars, the $21 million project includes the purchase, design, construction and transportation of the transformer. It is part of a broader reconstruction effort in collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency aimed at strengthening the grid from Manatí to the island municipalities of Vieques and Culebra.

“This is one of the most important steps in LUMA’s ongoing efforts to stabilize Puerto Rico’s electrical grid,” said Pedro Meléndez, the operator’s chief officer of capital programs and grid transformation. Since taking over operations in 2021, LUMA has launched more than 500 projects to improve grid resilience, with nearly 200 completed or nearing completion.

Sabana Llana, one of Puerto Rico’s most critical substations, will receive the transformer following a complex logistical operation from the Port of San Juan to Carolina. The unit, which stands close to 14 feet tall -- comparable to a two-story house -- and weighs around 250 tons, presents significant transportation challenges.

“After months of coordination with the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP) and the municipalities of San Juan and Carolina, this effort is becoming a reality,” Meléndez added. “The Sabana Llana transformer is one of many arriving in the coming months. Nearly 50 modern units have begun arriving and will continue to be delivered throughout 2026.”

Over the past four years, LUMA has ordered more than 80 transformers, six of which have been installed so far in 2025. Manufacturing and delivery of the units can take between two to four years, depending on origin, design specifications, and required components -- underscoring the long-term planning and commitment behind Puerto Rico’s energy transformation.

Meléndez acknowledged the logistical hurdles involved in transporting the transformer and emphasized the substantial benefits it will bring once operational in early 2026.

DTOP has approved the transportation route, which will temporarily close several major roads in the metropolitan area, including portions of Roosevelt, Kennedy and Piñero Avenues, as well as the José Celso Barbosa Expressway (PR-53). Officials urge residents to plan ahead and consider alternate routes.

“We’ve worked closely with LUMA to ensure this move is carried out safely and with minimal disruption,” DTOP Secretary Edwin González Montalvo said. “Infrastructure upgrades like this require careful coordination, and our priority is to help drivers navigate efficiently while supporting projects that lead to a more reliable electrical system for Puerto Rico.”