Costa Sur receives approval for $55M in additional FEMA funds
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be providing nearly $55.3 million for the second construction phase of the Costa Sur Power Plant in Guayanilla, the agency announced.
This allocation for the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) is part of the total obligation of about $9.5 billion for the restoration of the island’s power grid under the agency’s Accelerated Award Strategy (FAASt).
This funding targets repairs at the Costa Sur thermoelectric generation plant, which provides energy for the island’s transmission and distribution facilities. Key projects include replacing infrastructure and transmission circuit breakers, constructing new control facilities equipped with protection, control and metering equipment, and replacing transformers. Additionally, the purchase of an emergency transformer and a spare transformer is planned.
The FAASt strategy groups similar damage across critical infrastructure projects to expedite recovery from Hurricane Maria, streamlining the process and conserving resources compared to inspecting thousands of damaged facilities.
To date, Costa Sur has received more than $125 million in FEMA funds for Hurricane María FAASt obligations, in addition to more than $15 million for damages incurred from the 2020 earthquakes in the island’s southwestern region.
“All work to strengthen Puerto Rico’s power grid is a priority for FEMA. We recognize the importance of having the grid working in optimal and robust condition, as it has an overall impact on the island, from health, education and the economy to the homes of every citizen. Having a solid grid will help us face other emergencies and future disasters,” stated FEMA’s federal disaster recovery coordinator, José G. Baquero.
A previous allocation of nearly $21 million for this thermoelectric plant focused on replacing substation equipment, including oil and gas circuit breakers, with 13 new gas circuit breakers and installing new disconnect switches.
These obligations, along with other initiatives where FEMA provides financial and technical support, such as the Puerto Rico Grid Resilience and Transition to 100% Renewable Energy Study (PR100), are part of the agency’s cooperation with the government of Puerto Rico to support the island’s goal of transitioning to renewable energy by 2050.
