A motion presented on Wednesday by Genera PR, a company contracted for the operation and maintenance of the generating plants of the Electric Power Authority (PREPA), before the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (NEPR), revealed concerning issues with the current energy production in Puerto Rico.
The motion highlighted that only one out of 14 units of inherited generation is operating normally, with another eight having limited capacity and five undergoing maintenance or repairs. This has led to the current energy production being at 34 percent of capacity, significantly below the nominal capacity of 4,247MW.
Additionally, the Central Costa Sur plant in Guayanilla is facing a “catastrophic failure” in a transformer that needs to be replaced. Although Genera PR has a spare transformer from another plant, it will take three additional weeks for assembly and testing before it can be operational.
Furthermore, an internal investigation by Genera PR found damaged blades in the Aguirre CC 2-3 Turbine, further complicating the situation. The corporation is now in the process of purchasing a new transformer and evaluating the feasibility of using an alternative transformer from another unit.
The report also revealed that several units under the authority of Genera PR are either in forced outage, maintenance, or operating with limitations. Plans are in place to complete necessary repairs by February 2025 for some units, while others are already operating with restrictions.
The motion comes after the approval of a purchase contract for 14 electric generators, funded by FEMA, to improve the energy infrastructure in Puerto Rico. However, concerns have been raised about irregularities in the process, particularly regarding the purchase of generators from the parent company of Genera PR, New Fortress Energy.
It is evident that there are substantial challenges in the energy sector in Puerto Rico that need to be addressed promptly to ensure a reliable and sustainable power supply for the island.