LUMA MOBILIZES EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER & MOBILIZES FIELD CREWS TO RESPOND TO STORM DAMAGE/EXPECTED OUTAGES

San Juan, Puerto Rico, September 15, 2022 – Today, in preparation for Tropical Storm Fiona, LUMA announced the mobilization of its Emergency Operations Center and a series of actions it is taking to respond to expected service interruptions due to forecasted heavy rain, strong winds, flash flooding and mudslides. The more than 3,000 men and women, including 1,300 field utility workers, will be ready to respond to storm damage and service interruptions.

“All of us at LUMA are preparing our emergency response for what is forecasted to be a serious and severe storm that will lead to service interruptions. We strongly encourage all our customers to take steps to prepare for the impact of this storm. We will be monitoring the storm, assessing damage after the impact and initiating restoration activities in cooperation with our municipal and government partners. We want all our customers to know that we will be taking actions now to prepare and will restore power as quickly and as safely as possible after the storm strikes,” said Wayne Stensby, President and Chief Executive Officer of LUMA.

Among the initial actions LUMA is taking to prepare for Tropical Strom Fiona include:  

• Activating the LUMA Emergency Operations Center and deploying company representatives to the central government’s Emergency Operations Center, as indicated in LUMA’s Emergency Management Plan.
• Mobilizing 1,300 field workers from lineworkers to substations technicians, who are trained and available to respond to serious emergencies
• 1,800+ fleet units fueled and ready to deploy for emergency response 
• Utilizing the $130 million in on-hand inventory of transmission and distribution material available for responding to emergency events, more than five times the inventory that was on the island before Hurricane Maria.
• Deferred all planned reliability work in order to prioritize and dedicate all available resources to storm response
• Coordinating with the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Bureau (PREMB), the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), FEMA, the U.S. Department of Energy Support Function #12 and other government agencies to coordinate a unified response
• Conducting proactive outreach to essential service providers like hospitals.
• Coordinating restoration work to prioritize lifeline residential customers who need electricity to operate medical equipment and Community Lifelines, including health, safety, transportation and communications facilities.
• Parent Companies have already pre-deployed equipment and resources from the mainland to respond as needed to possible impacts form the storm and we are in contact with mutual aid providers so that in the event of the need for additional response resources, the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (Carilec), the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and the American Public Power Association (APPA) can provided assistance with restoration efforts

“LUMA prepares for emergency events, like hurricanes, year-round. With Tropical Storm Fiona approaching Puerto Rico, we have activated our emergency response plan and are mobilizing and positioning crews and equipment throughout the island to respond to service interruptions resulting from the storm conditions. Following our emergency response plan, LUMA is working closely with the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Bureau and other relevant authorities to ensure a coordinated response and to support our 1.5 million customers throughout the coming days. Safety is our number one priority, and we ask that customers take the appropriate precautions to ensure the safety of their families,” added Stensby.

To ensure public and community safety, LUMA is urging its customers to take the following safety precautions to ensure their safety:

General Safety Tips:

• Stay away from any downed power lines. We urge the public to put their safety first. Call us immediately at 1-844-888-5862 (LUMA) to report any downed lines or electrical emergencies that require immediate attention. Remember to stay away from any low hanging or downed power lines
• Lifeline Residential Services (LRS) customers that require electrical medical equipment should activate emergency plans in anticipation of possible service interruptions
  • During the storm, please stay inside your home and away from windows
  • Keep flashlights, battery-operated radios, extra batteries, bottled water and non-perishable food items at hand
  • Secure medications and a first-aid kit
  • Protect important identification documents as passports, Social Security cards, driver’s licenses, birth certificates, insurance policies and any other important documents
  • Turn off power switches and unplug electronic equipment such as televisions and computers
• If you own a generator, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Ensure generator is in a well-ventilated area
• If you experience an outage, please report it using the Mi LUMA app or website available at miluma.lumapr.com.

Information Resources

Please know that LUMA will communicate storm response information to customers through the news media, its social media channels, and the following resources: 

• LUMA website: lumapr.com   
• Twitter: twitter.com/lumaenergypr
• Facebook: facebook.com/lumapuertorico
• LUMA Outage Reporting Map: miluma.lumapr.com/outages/outageMap

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.