October 20, 2021, San Juan, Puerto Rico – Wayne Stensby, President and CEO of the company, reported today that the responses requested via letter by the Committee on Natural Resources of the federal House of Representatives, after his testimony at the public hearing will be sent.
LUMA’s mission from the first day of operation has been a clear and forceful one: to stabilize, rebuild and transform Puerto Rico’s energy transmission and distribution system to provide quality of life to the millions of residents of the island, thereby promoting economic development.
Four and one-half months into operations, we have begun to do just that. With our more than 3,000 energetic and capable employees, we are responding to customers, we are advancing renewable interconnections, we are repairing infrastructure and we are advancing projects with FEMA.
LUMA was invited and subsequently appeared before the Committee on Natural Resources as part of an oversight hearing held on October 6th, 2021. The hearing had many witnesses and although it lasted well over three hours, some of the Committee Members had additional questions that they provided on October 12th for LUMA’s follow-up.
We reiterate our words addressed to the Committee in our deposition of October 6th.
“We thank the members of the Committee for their time and dedication to this important issue. LUMA is here to be a transparent and accountable partner that will deliver better customer service, greater emergency preparedness, and a safer, more effective workforce and support the overall economic recovery for the island’s growth. We have just started and remain committed to perform our critical role in transforming the electricity system in Puerto Rico,” Stensby reiterated.
“LUMA is not here in the short term. We are here to modernize the electric transmission and distribution system, which will be carried out based on careful data-driven, and long-term planning which we will execute, subject to the approval and supervision of the corresponding government entities in accordance with the law,” added the executive emphasizing LUMA’s commitment to Puerto Rico and its people.
LUMA’s responses addressed the questions of Congresswomen Nydia Vélazquez, Katie Porter and Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González, in the hearing that took place virtually on October 6 titled: “Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) after the implementation of the LUMA Transmission and Distribution contract.”
The representatives turned their questioning around the origin of the August and September generation shortages, the hiring of a firm specialized in the management of federal funds, LUMA’s projects for the resilience of the transmission and distribution system together with FEMA and COR3, labor agreements, and the compatibility of the current system with renewable energy, among others.
Stensby explained during the hearing that a resilient T & D system could better accommodate renewable energy projects, a public policy of Puerto Rico that has the full support and commitment of LUMA.
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.
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