Puerto Rico's LUMA Energy has announced that the transformer located at the Santa Isabel TC substation is in operation. Crews successfully completed the work that will allow customers in the Aibonito, Coamo and Santa Isabel municipalities to have greater redundancy in the electrical service.
This transformer is the main source of energy for customers in the area. Together with the recent repair of line 200, it will offer residents and merchants greater reliability in the system. Similarly, the transmission center where the transformer is located is an important meeting point that is linked to five other substations to improve the service of more than 24,000 customers in the central and southern region of the island.
As with all LUMA projects, during the process, all necessary equipment was thoroughly checked, extensive testing was carried out, and samples were taken to meet the standards set by the manufacturer. These efforts ensured the correct operation of the transformer and the efficiency of the electrical system before it was connected to the system.
"Our teams successfully completed the installation and rigorous testing of the transformer, which reiterates our commitment to customers and our goal of strengthening Puerto Rico's electrical infrastructure. Without a doubt, it is a significant step that demonstrates the sense of urgency for the residents and merchants of the southern zone," said Dimas Torres, director of western substations of LUMA.
In addition to the work on the transformer and the reconstruction of line 200, repairs were made on transmission lines 4800 and 8500 to improve their capacity and reliability. A capacitor bank was put into service in Santa Isabel to reduce voltage issues in the area. Work on these transmission lines included clearing vegetation in more than 20 communities across Salinas, Santa Isabel and Coamo.
On the distribution side, a new distribution feeder was built in the Jaucas community in Santa Isabel, and another was relocated in Salinas to further improve quality of service to customers. In Coamo, voltage regulators were installed in Cuyón and Palmarejo to help solve lingering issues first reported more than 15 years ago in those communities.
Insulation was also repaired across these municipalities to prevent future outages and improve system reliability. LUMA remains committed to completing regular maintenance and working with municipal government and stakeholders to continue improving and transforming electric service for more than 1.5 million customers across Puerto Rico.
