Recognizing a substantial increase in the incidence of energy cuts associated with load relay, Generates pr asked to PUERTO RICO ENERGY BIRD (NEPR) that allows you Electricity Authority (AEE) under the premise that plants restoration did not align with the transition to renewable energy.
Generates PR, In a motion that submitted on February 24argued to the NEPR that the tariff policies of US President, Donald Trumpalso, exacerbate the urgency of a prompt approval of the projects, which would be financed with funds from the Federal Agency for Emergency Management (FEMA, in English) and would cost, together, between $ 115 million and $ 120 million, according to preliminary estimates.
The request of the generatrix fleet administrator includes units #8 and #10 of the San Juan Central, as well as Cambalache unit, in Arecibo, with a joint nominal capacity to produce 280 megawatts (MW). Units #8 and #10 of San Juan have remained out of service since 2018 and 2016, respectively, while Cambalache’s unit not operates since 2011.
“It generates that the frequency and severity of the blackouts in Puerto Rico have increased markedly, underlining the urgent need to restore additional generation capacity. Under the current conditions, even short or localized forced outputs in a single unit can become large load relay events due to insufficient reserve capacity ”the operator highlighted in the motion.
The new day revealed, last Monday, that, in 2024, The duration of the blackouts associated with the load relays had doubled Regarding the previous year. Specifically, customers suffered an average of 577 minutes of interruptions due to electricity generation deficiencies, compared to 280 minutes in 2023. In total, in total, Luma Energy compiled 11 incidents of load relay in 2024, compared to 96 a year earlier.
On February 14, in addition, the #1 unit of the Aguirre Central, in Salinas, suffered a fault in the generator whose repair will take more than a year. This plant is the largest nominal capacity in the fleet, totaling 450 MW.
According to PR, the repair of Unit #8 of San Juan would cost about $ 40 million, while unit #10 “could exceed” $ 45 million and Cambalache’s unit would be “between $ 30 million and $ 35 million.”
Trump administration measures, such as 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, “affect both the cost and the availability of vital components and materials for these greater repair projects,” generates Pr.
“Delaying these repairs would open the door to new additional costs product of market volatility and increases in prices associated with tariffs. The agile approval of these projects, therefore, is crucial to avoid unnecessary financial restrictions, preserving the generation infrastructure of Puerto Rico and reducing the probability of more severe service interruptions ”the operator continued on the motion, in which he did not estimate the time they would take.
The works of the Units of the San Juan and Cambalache Central were part of a group of projects that the AEE proposed to carry out in 2022, using FEMA funds, but that the NEPR denied because they attended plants lending themselves to retire in the short term. The retirement calendars of the fossil fuel fleet, however, have not been able to implement because the large -scale renewable energy projects have not been materialized that had to enter service since 2023.
“He Integrated Resource Plan (of 2020) anticipated a decline in the generation load throughout its planning horizon, influenced by factors such as population changes, economic conditions and energy efficiency initiatives. However, these projected conditions have not been completely materialized, ”said generates PR.
