Fluor completes work on priority power lines in PR as more crews arrive
Fluor completes work on major transmission lines in Puerto Rico, meaning power is on the way to thousands. (Credit: Business Wire)
Fluor Corporation confirmed Thursday that it has completed work on portions of three priority 38kv power lines in large urban areas near San Juan and a fourth priority 38kv line near Caguas.
The company is working under its contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in support of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mission to help repair and restore the power grid in Puerto Rico ravaged by Hurricanes Irma and María more than 100 days ago. All of Puerto Rico lost power after the storms.
The completion allows the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) to re-energize lines in Río Piedras, Caguas and Minillas, as well as lines that run from Canóvanas to Palmer, Fluor said.
These lines will carry electricity to a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Caguas, schools, residential neighborhoods and several busy commercial districts.
“Every day, our crews go to their work sites knowing that what they are doing is vitally important to the people of Puerto Rico,” said Matt Hunt, Fluor’s executive program director, Puerto Rico Power Restoration Project.
In related news, Florida Power & Light Company announced 140 company lineworkers and support staff will travel to Puerto Rico to help restore power to areas impacted by Hurricane María.
FPL lineworkers and staff are part of a nearly 1,500-person contingency of electric workers from Edison Electric Institute (EEI) member, U.S. investor-owned utilities scheduled to arrive in Puerto Rico in early January. Ahead of their arrival, FPL will transport vehicles and electric equipment via barges from the Port of Fort Pierce in St. Lucie County, Fla.
The company’s lineworkers and support staff will work with the 10-person FPL incident management team that has been working in Puerto Rico since Dec. 10. FPL employees represent one of seven IMT assigned to seven regions across the island in coordination with PREPA, USACE, FEMA and electric company contractors who already are restoring power.
FPL’s IMT will continue to support power restoration in the region of Bayamon, just west of San Juan, the company confirmed.
FPL’s support of power restoration in Puerto Rico began after the energy company completed its own restoration in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. In the days immediately following Hurricane María, NextEra Energy, FPL’s parent company, donated $100,000 and matched the same amount from employee donations to help those affected by the storm.
