The IRP filing reflects extensive stakeholder outreach and feedback and is a critical step in creating the energy system of the future to meet customer demand
San Juan, Puerto Rico, Nov. 26, 2024 – Yesterday, LUMA submitted the First Interim 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) Filing to the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (PREB), representing a key milestone in the long-term process to deliver an energy system that will reliably and sustainably meet Puerto Rico’s energy needs for the next 20 years.
“This is a critical first in what will be a series of filings on the IRP and an important step in achieving the more reliable, affordable and cleaner energy system all Puerto Ricans expect and deserve. To be clear, this is Puerto Rico’s IRP, not LUMA’s, and as the stewards of this process we look forward to continuing our engagement with customers and other stakeholders to ensure their voices are heard and their needs are met as we support the planning and implementation of a better energy future that will serve Puerto Ricans for generations to come,” said Mario Hurtado, LUMA Chief Regulatory Officer.
Developing a Comprehensive IRP for Puerto Rico’s Future
This initial filing is part of a comprehensive IRP development process and includes the first four of 10 potential scenarios to address Puerto Rico’s future energy needs and considers various factors, including: load growth, fuel prices, capital costs and resource adequacy to ensure the reliability, resiliency, sustainability and affordability of Puerto Rico’s energy system over the next two decades.
Following industry practices, LUMA is carrying out the most precise and detailed analysis and planning effort in the history of Puerto Rico’s electric system. Throughout the IRP development process, LUMA has worked with the PREB to ensure the project’s timeline reflects the need to deliver what is most important: an accurate, thorough, pragmatic and data-informed plan whose implementation will benefit all Puerto Ricans. As part of the IRP process, the analysis considers the specific ongoing challenges unique to Puerto Rico, which include the inability to share critical energy reserves with neighboring systems, the prevalence of natural disasters and lingering service reliability and resiliency issues due to decades of pervasive system neglect by the previous operator.
Prioritizing Customer and Stakeholder Engagement
To help achieve a realistic and pragmatic resource plan that best serves Puerto Rico’s energy future, LUMA is enabling public engagement through the Soluciones Energéticas para Transformar a Puerto Rico (SETPR) initiative. The initiative is a collaborative process to gather feedback on Puerto Rico’s energy future from customers and other stakeholders and to ensure the 2025 IRP reflects their viewpoints.
To date, LUMA has held 21 SETPR meetings attended by 173 stakeholders, including: residential and commercial customers, government officials, commercial and professional organizations and generation partners. LUMA has presented its findings from these meetings to the PREB to keep it updated on LUMA’s progress. The next round of SETPR meetings is scheduled for January 2025. Additionally, LUMA has held seven one-on-one meetings with stakeholders, like the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Commercial Centers of Puerto Rico, the Association of Restaurants of Puerto Rico, Justicia Energética, General Electric, Coopervision and EcoElectrica.
To read LUMA’s expert analysis, a full copy of the filing is available here: https://we.tl/t-EMwbENd4bG. The company plans to file the final IRP in May 2025.
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, clean, and affordable electrical service they deserve. As a customer-centric company, LUMA’s entire workforce is focused on safely delivering an exceptional customer service experience to its 1.5 million customers.
