San Juan, Puerto Rico, April 18, 2023 – Today, in honor of Lineworker Appreciation Day, LUMA is recognizing and celebrating all of its women and men line and field workers who work hard every day to repair, rebuild and modernize the electric system in Puerto Rico.
“We are incredibly proud of the tremendous work being done by our lineworkers and field crews every day to strengthen the electric system and improve service reliability for our customers,” said Wayne Stensby, LUMA President and Chief Executive Officer. “Their hard work and dedication have been the driving force behind LUMA’s historic progress across the island. We are immensely grateful for their continued work to build the next-generation electric system that Puerto Rico deserves.”
Over the last 22 months, LUMA lineworkers and field crews have made historic progress toward Puerto Rico’s energy future that is clear and undeniable. This includes:
- Clearing vegetation from over 1,000 miles of electrical lines
- Replacing over 4,700 broken and failing utility poles
- Replacing or repairing over 37,000 streetlights
- Clearing 100% of substations from overgrown vegetation and starting or planning construction to upgrade seven substations with brand-new equipment
- Connecting over 54,000 DG customers to rooftop solar, representing 330 megawatts of renewable energy added to the grid
As part of a commitment to build the next generation of lineworkers, LUMA employees have completed more than 34,000 hours of safety and technical training courses at the LUMA College for Technical Training. The technical college provides world-class education and development for the technical electric trades, including the first lineworker apprenticeship program in Puerto Rico’s history to be certified by the U.S. Department of Labor. LUMA is also continuing its close partnership with the nation’s largest and best-trained union workforce, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).
All LUMA lineworkers are members of this international union that represents the best electrical workers in the world, and now, the most talented electrical workforce in Puerto Rico’s history.
Background: Please see attached photos of LUMA lineworkers at work on behalf of the people of Puerto Rico.
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.
