San Juan, Puerto Rico —April 21, 2023 – Today, LUMA announced that it has supported more than 54,000 customer connections to rooftop solar, representing a significant milestone in its ongoing efforts to advance clean energy in Puerto Rico. This historic accomplishment of connecting more than 54,000 customers in 21 months represents 330 megawatts of additional renewable energy connected to the grid during LUMA’s time as the operator of Puerto Rico’s electric system. As a result of this progress, Puerto Rico now ranks seventh among all U.S. states and territories in residential solar energy adoption per capita, according to net metering data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
“We are incredibly proud of the work we’re doing to advance the adoption of renewable energy at the fastest rate in Puerto Rico’s history,” said Wayne Stensby, President & Chief Executive Officer of LUMA. “LUMA fully supports the growth of clean renewable energy; in fact, in a range of activities from connecting customers to rooftop solar, to interconnecting utility-scale renewable plants, to rebuilding and modernizing the electric grid, the over 3,000 men and women of LUMA are accelerating the clean energy transformation for Puerto Ricans. Looking ahead, we are committed to working together with our customers, our regulator, elected leaders and other partners to establish Puerto Rico as a sustainable, clean energy leader for generations to come.”
In the 21 months since LUMA assumed operations of the electric system, the number of interconnected residential solar customers has tripled compared to what was achieved in the previous decade – growing from approximately 24,000 to over 78,000 total solar connections. This success is due in part to LUMA’s accelerated solar connection program that provides customers with shorter wait times for approval and has increased customer connections to an average of 3,400 each month.
“LUMA has streamlined the Net Metering process, shortening average wait times to under 30 days. LUMA’s centralized approach and collaboration with the solar and storage industry have driven steady growth in solar installations, ensuring energy resilience and savings for tens of thousands of Puerto Rican families. We look forward to our continued collaboration and expanding the adoption of renewable energy across the island,” said P.J. Wilson, Executive Director of the Solar and Energy Storage Association of Puerto Rico (SESA).
In addition to advancing more home solar connections for customers, LUMA is working to safely and reliably interconnect more than 1,300 megawatts of utility-scale renewable generation to Puerto Rico’s electric grid. LUMA is also working closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (PREB) to achieve a more resilient and cleaner energy system.
Customers interested in rooftop solar can find more information about applying for solar connections at https://lumapr.com/net-metering-steps/?lang=en.
About LUMA
LUMA is a Puerto Rican company that, since June 1, 2021, operates and manages the electric power transmission and distribution system in Puerto Rico. LUMA is a company driven by a mission to transform the electrical transmission and distribution system to provide all Puerto Ricans with the reliable, resilient, cleaner, and affordable electrical grid they deserve. As a customer-centric company, LUMA’s entire workforce of more than 3,000 employees is focused on safely delivering an exceptional customer service experience to its 1.5 million customers.
