San Juan, Puerto Rico, October 4, 2021 – LUMA launched a digital map of distributed generation interconnection capacity (DG), which will allow customers and developers of solar panel projects to verify the capacity of the electrical distribution system to accommodate their connections before capital investment.
LUMA compiled the available system data, organized and maintained by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), and developed the map to provide visibility of the electrical distribution system capacity. Distributed generation resources include solar photovoltaic (Solar PV) or combination of solar photovoltaic and energy storage system.
The map allows clients and developers to enter a specific address to verify if a distribution circuit (feeder) has room to accommodate additional projects without causing voltage surges or interruptions to the island’s electrical grid.
“The tool is a reference where the client will look at the map and see whether or not there is capacity for more panels. We want to make the process easier for our clients so that they can make decisions with more information,” explained Hugo Bashualdo, project manager.
The LUMA tool is completely free and is available to our clients to promote renewable energy projects in Puerto Rico, supporting the objective of increasing clean energy.
The map can be found at www.lumapr.com under the “Residential” menu, where you must navigate to the “Renewable Energy” section. There you will find a link that will take you to the map, where you can choose the “User Guide” button and see a full explanation on how to use the tool.
The map provides fundamental data of the circuit to ensure that the feeder to which the customer wants to connect has connection capacity and does not cause damage to the system. It also shows the voltage of the circuit to which you want to connect, as well as the percentage of the generation distributed in it and the capacity of the feeder.
This information corresponds to those circuits whose information was validated by field electrical inspections.
The map uses colors to make it easier to read.
LUMA encourages customers and developers to use this reference information to validate the feasibility of interconnection at a specific location.
“At LUMA, we are convinced that with the development of this digital interconnection capacity map, we will help further advance the goal of increasing integration into the renewable generation grid in Puerto Rico,” said Don Cortez, vice president of Utility Transformation.
###
About LUMA:
LUMA is a Puerto Rican company that, since June 1, 2021, operates Puerto Rico’s electric power transmission and distribution system. LUMA is a mission-driven company dedicated to transforming the electric transmission and distribution system to provide all Puerto Ricans with the reliable, resilient, and affordable power grid they deserve. As a customer-centric company, LUMA’s entire workforce is focused on safely delivering an exceptional customer service experience to our more than 1 million customers.
