Officials call for immediate action after transformer snafu

Public-Private Partnerships Authority Executive Director Fermín Fontanés Gómez

By The Star Staff

Public-Private Partnerships Authority (P3A) Executive Director Fermín Fontanés Gómez on Thursday requested immediate action from LUMA Energy to address the reported situation regarding the failure of the newly installed Santa Isabel transformer and ensure the continuity of electrical service in Santa Isabel, Coamo and Aibonito.

Likewise, Fontanés announced that the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau will include the incident in the investigation into the incidents that occurred with the system in mid-June, when a blackout left some 340,000 LUMA customers without power for several hours.

“It is imperative that LUMA execute the action plan quickly to handle the transformer failure situation and to seek effective and quick solutions to what happened,” Fontanés said. “These municipalities have already been severely affected, and need a permanent solution for the stability of electric energy service in this area.”

Edison Avilés, chairman of the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau, said “the situation reported by LUMA will be investigated to ensure the specific reasons why the transformer failed.”

“Although LUMA has already announced that it will relocate an alternate transformer to address the situation immediately, it is important to know the details of what caused this situation,” the chief energy regulator said.

The P3A remains in direct and constant communication with LUMA Energy for updates on the implementation of the contingency plan put into effect, which includes the relocation of an alternate transformer, and measures to optimize service to customers in the towns in the affected area.

Fontanés said “both the Authority for Public-Private Partnerships and the Energy Bureau are focused on being able to continue the ongoing investigations to have clarity about what happened and thus be able to determine the corresponding actions.”

“In the case of the investigation by the Energy Bureau, it will now also include this incident,” he said.

Popular Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate Jesús Manuel Ortiz González expressed indignation on Thursday at the recent announcement by LUMA about the failure of the transformer. At a cost of some $6 million, the installation of the transformer represented the resolution of the problem of the energy crisis impacting the municipalities of Coamo, Aibonito and Santa Isabel, he said.

“Keeping people for more than a month and a half in these circumstances is completely unacceptable,” the candidate and lawmaker said. “Three weeks ago, at a public hearing, we questioned LUMA and they assured us that the transformer would solve the problem. Today, we find ourselves with the same crisis and without a clear solution in sight.”

Ortiz González stressed the need for explanations and accountability on the part of LUMA given the critical nature of the situation.

“Here they have to provide explanations and the relevant authorities must impose responsibilities,” he said. “The citizens of Coamo, Aibonito and Santa Isabel deserve answers and an immediate solution to this energy crisis that affects their daily lives and well-being.”

Ortiz González also demanded from LUMA and the corresponding authorities a review of the actions taken and an evaluation of the measures to follow to guarantee that the errors that seriously affect the community are not repeated. At the same time, he questioned the silence of his New Progressive Party (NPP) opponent, Jenniffer González Colón, and the NPP leadership on the issue of LUMA, which he said confirms that they continue “being complicit in the LUMA disaster and the mismanagement of the recovery of the electrical system.”

“These actions cannot continue to happen,” the gubernatorial candidate said. “It is imperative to resolve this issue and assign responsibilities. The quality of life of our people and the development of a country cannot be in the hands of an irresponsible and incapable company.”