SESA asks governor to stop $300 LUMA fee on solar customers
- The San Juan Daily Star
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
By THE STAR STAFF
The Puerto Rico Solar and Energy Storage Association (SESA), representing the island’s solar and storage industry and more than 96,000 affected households, reaffirmed its appeal on Tuesday for Gov. Jenniffer González Colón to endorse House Concurrent Resolution 193 (RCC 193 by its initials in Spanish). The measure, unanimously approved by both legislative chambers, calls for halting a contentious $300 fee that LUMA Energy is attempting to impose on solar customers.
The fee in question is rooted in a 2017 regulation that conflicts with Puerto Rico’s Energy Public Policy Act (Law 17‑2019), which officials passed to encourage renewable energy adoption. Despite the contradiction, LUMA continues to implement the outdated rule. SESA also warns that the utility is seeking to recover some $11 million through a rate review before the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau -- a move that could lead to increased electricity rates islandwide to offset what SESA describes as an “illegal fee.”
Javier Rúa Jovet, SESA’s director of public policy, criticized the charge as “another tax on the sun,” adding undue burden to families and small businesses already enduring high electricity costs. He urged González Colón -- who has consistently opposed new taxes and fees -- to sign RCC 193 to prevent this alleged injustice and protect consumers.
LUMA Energy, a private consortium contracted to manage Puerto Rico’s transmission and distribution grid, officially assumed operations in June 2021 under a public-private partnership with the Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority. The takeover was part of a broader strategy to modernize a grid that had been devastated by Hurricane Maria and long plagued by inefficiencies under the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority.
However, LUMA’s tenure has been marked by controversy. In July 2025, the Puerto Rican government initiated a process to terminate LUMA’s contract, citing six alleged breaches, including performance shortcomings in restoring and maintaining the grid. This month, the Puerto Rico Supreme Court ruled that a provision shielding LUMA from consumer claims was invalid, emphasizing that only the island Legislature -- not an administrative agency -- could grant such immunity. LUMA also faces ongoing lawsuits, with a recent federal ruling returning to the local courts recent lawsuits that seek to annul the transmission and distribution contract.
Critics say LUMA has struggled with frequent blackouts, slow emergency response times and billing discrepancies -- factors contributing to public dissatisfaction. Meanwhile, LUMA has defended its record, citing complex grid conditions and a global energy emergency as part of broader reforms underway. This contentious backdrop underscores SESA’s concerns that LUMA’s push to recover $11 million for the disputed solar charge is part of a broader effort to shift costs onto consumers, even as the company battles legitimacy and legal rights to shield itself from liability.
Rúa Jovet emphasized that RCC 193 is “a concrete action to protect consumers and ensure modern, reasonable regulatory practices aligned with Puerto Rico’s energy policy.” He urged swift action, noting the stakes: thousands of Puerto Ricans who have invested in solar energy to reduce costs and increase resilience. Should the governor sign RCC 193, it would prevent the $300 fee from being applied or folded into future rate decisions -- reaffirming Puerto Rico’s commitment to renewable energy and consumer protection amid mounting scrutiny of LUMA’s performance