The Department of Health, GeneraPR, Puerto Rico’s Emergency Management Bureau and other agencies will review contingency plans as part of their preparations for the hurricane season.
San Juan, Puerto Rico – February 28, 2025 – As part of LUMA’s ongoing commitment to respond to and manage emergencies, the operator conducted its Annual Emergency Drill at LUMA’s Emergency Operations Center (LEOC) today, in collaboration with key government agencies and stakeholders.
The exercise presented the response to a category 5 hurricane with direct impact on the island and the different scenarios that could arise before, during and after landfall. The drill focused on the coordination of efforts under the Incident Command System (ICS) as well as promoting effective communication with various agencies to ensure successful restoration after an emergency. During the exercise, real scenarios are worked on, which contemplate loss of generation, telecommunications and other essential services within the framework of a catastrophic emergency. Representatives from GeneraPR, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), and the Puerto Rico Emergency Management and Bureau (PREMB) attached to the Department of Public Safety, participated in the simulation.
“This drill is a key piece in our preparation for hurricane season, and any type of emergency situation. It allows us to fine-tune our response capacity, strengthen coordination with our collaborators and improve processes to promote the safety of our employees, customers, and electrical infrastructure,” said José Pérez Vélez, Director of External Affairs of LUMA, who served as spokesperson for the exercise.
The drill is designed to foster collaboration between LUMA and the other agencies to monitor and evaluate incidents in real time, strengthen strategic decision making under duress, and promote effective communication with government officials including mayors, and critical customers such as hospitals. Observers and participants from other agencies provided their feedback of the exercise, exchanged impressions and asked questions that would be taken into consideration for future updates to LUMA’s Emergency Response Plan (ERP).
“Each year, we apply the lessons learned from these exercises to strengthen our emergency response protocols. In addition to these efforts, our team of more than 4,000 employees has completed over 38,905 hours of training in FEMA emergency management best practices going back to 2021 when LUMA started operating the T&D system,” added Mr. Pérez Vélez.
“Each year, we apply the lessons learned from these exercises to strengthen our emergency response protocols. In addition to these efforts, our team of more than 4,000 employees has completed over 38,905 hours of training in FEMA emergency management best practices going back to 2021 when LUMA started operating the T&D system,” added Mr. Pérez Vélez.
About LUMA
LUMA will continue to work closely with relevant agencies to implement improvements to its Emergency Response Plan (ERP), which will be updated and submitted on May 31, 2025. With this exercise, LUMA reaffirms its commitment to preparation and continuous improvement, ensuring a rapid and efficient response to natural, human, or technological events that may affect Puerto Rico’s electrical system.
