PREB endorses bill allowing towns to partner with grid operator on streetlight repairs.

Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez

By THE STAR STAFF

Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez announced that the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (PREB) has endorsed House Bill 1207, which legally allows municipalities to enter into agreements with the private operator of the island’s electric power transmission and distribution network for the installation, repair, maintenance, and modernization of public lighting.

“The lack of public lighting has a direct impact on road safety, public safety, and the economic activity of communities. Therefore, repairing and maintaining the lighting system in optimal condition is fundamental to improving the safety and quality of life of the people,” the House speaker said. “That is why, since last December, along with Representative Víctor Parés, we have been advocating for municipalities to be able to replace and maintain streetlights within their jurisdictions.”

“This bill recognizes the role of municipalities in repairing public lighting within clearly defined operational functions, preserving the technical uniformity of the electrical system in conjunction with the transmission and distribution system operator, and maintaining the Energy Bureau’s authority to oversee, correct, and revoke any authorization granted,” Méndez added.

The measure, co-authored by House Government Committee Chairman Parés, creates the “Law for Municipal Collaboration in the Installation, Repair, Maintenance, and Modernization of the Public Lighting System” and establishes public policy regarding the installation, repair, maintenance, and modernization of public lighting. It also establishes the regulatory framework for collaborative agreements between municipalities and the electrical system operator, currently LUMA Energy LLC.

In the legislation’s preamble, PREB Chairman Edison Avilés Deliz emphasized that “there is no doubt that public lighting in Puerto Rico must be a priority for all entities of the Government of Puerto Rico, as it directly impacts the safety of Puerto Ricans.

“Likewise, we recognize that road lighting is crucial to maintaining the safety of our road network and preventing accidents that could result in loss of life. Therefore, the PREB supports any measure aimed at improving and upgrading our public lighting system within a uniform regulatory framework, established with the necessary technical expertise and supervised by the Bureau.”

Avilés added that “given this, and after the corresponding legal analysis and the aforementioned points, the State can enter into collaborative agreements with the municipalities to address the public lighting situation.”

It is important to point out however that such collaboration should be conceived as complementary and subordinate, and not as a replacement for the functions of the state regulatory body or the electrical system operator, Méndez noted.

The PREB recently certified the availability of $1.2 billion for streetlight repairs across the island. Through a resolution dated Feb. 11, $527 million was reallocated for the repair and replacement of public lighting in some 35 municipalities that did not have allocated funds.

With that reallocation of funds, it is ensured that all the municipalities are part of the current phase of the Community Public Lighting Program, along with the remaining 42 municipalities. That means that all municipalities in Puerto Rico are covered for lighting projects under Federal Emergency Management Agency funds.