Building a stronger, smarter electric grid for Puerto Rico
ADVERTORIAL
Despite the many challenges facing Puerto Rico’s electric system, including the ongoing lack of operational funding from PREPA, LUMA continues to move forward with critical projects across the island that directly benefit customers. From the replacement of aging substation equipment to the installation of new smart meters, these efforts are all part of a larger mission to strengthen and modernize Puerto Rico’s electrical grid for the long term.
Modernizing Monacillos Substation
This past weekend, LUMA reached a major milestone with the successful connection of two new transmission transformers at the Monacillos Substation, one of the most important facilities in the metropolitan area. Our teams are now completing work on the protection and control systems, which are vital for ensuring that the new transformers operate safely and efficiently.
Once fully in service, these upgrades will directly benefit more than 275,000 customers and enhance reliability for other key substations in Caguas, Sabana Llana, Carolina, and Hato Rey. The Monacillos improvements are part of a larger, island-wide initiative to modernize substation infrastructure — a top priority to increase the system’s resilience against severe weather events and to meet Puerto Rico’s growing energy demand.
This project also underscores the complexity of grid modernization. The transformers installed in Monacillos were manufactured in countries such as China, Turkey, and Brazil, requiring years of design, production, and transport logistics. After nearly three years of coordination, these units are finally arriving and will continue to be delivered through 2026. More than half of the transformers currently in service across Puerto Rico have exceeded their intended lifespan, making these replacements a crucial step forward in improving system reliability and efficiency.
Smart meters: Empowering customers through technology
Another major initiative making steady progress is LUMA’s smart meter program. To date, more than 550,000 meters have been evaluated across the island, and over 60,000 new smart meters have already been installed. This advanced technology represents one of the most transformative changes in Puerto Rico’s energy modernization journey.
Smart meters, widely used across the United States and Europe, will provide customers with accurate, real-time information about their energy use, help reduce estimated billing, and allow for faster detection and restoration of outages. Through advanced alerts, LUMA will be able to pinpoint which homes and communities are without service, speeding up repair times and minimizing disruption. The meters will also support remote readings, enable better energy management for customers, and contribute to a safer, more transparent, and efficient system — all financed through federal funding.
Rebuilding transmission lines for resilience
At the same time, LUMA crews are rebuilding five transmission lines that have remained out of service since Hurricane María. These projects, underway in Bayamón, Humacao, Arecibo, and Ponce, will restore essential redundancy to the system, creating alternate routes to deliver electricity if a line fails. Once completed, they will benefit more than 75,000 customers and significantly reduce the frequency and duration of outages.
Each of these projects, from substation modernization to smart meter installations and transmission line reconstruction, reflects LUMA’s steadfast commitment to Puerto Rico’s future, to build a stronger, smarter, and more resilient electric grid that serves every home, business, and community across the island.
