By Manuel Guillama Capella
PUERTO RICO – Although, at the end of her five-day visit to Puerto Rico, the United States Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, expressed hope with the flow of the reconstruction works of the electrical system, she warned that the line of transmission and Distribution, which is operated by LUMA Energy, requires much more work to bring the grid to an acceptable state.
“This effort to replace poles is huge. Although there is money to repair and replace poles, and the work is in progress – and I understand that LUMA is talking about 25,000 poles and light fixtures that have been repaired and replaced, a large number – they don’t have enough janitors to do the job,” he stressed. the head of the Department of Energy (DOE), who held a meeting with the chief executive and staff of LUMA, the Electric Power Authority, the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience (COR3) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Last Monday, on the first day of his official trip, Granholm visited the LUMA training facilities in Canóvanas, where he spoke with company managers and apprentice wardens. On Thursday, in the meeting with the media, the official mentioned that LUMA has approximately 600 vacancies.
The DOE secretary made a direct appeal for Puerto Ricans to consider joining LUMA. “You don’t need to have experience. You can start as an apprentice and receive a salary of $71,000 per year, plus benefits. As an apprentice, you are paid while you train. Last year there were apprentices who, with overtime, generated $130,000 and the salary continues to increase as you gain experience.”
Shay Bahramirad, Senior Vice President of Engineering for the consortium, said that LUMA recognizes the need to increase its workforce and that a five-year plan has been established.
“Currently, we have over 1,400 guards and 3,500 men and women (total employees). As we progress, there is an opportunity to recruit, and we plan to increase the guard staff by 40% in the next five years,” Bahramirad said.
$1 billion program on track
Granholm, on the other hand, mentioned that April 21 closes the comment period on the ways in which the DOE should distribute the congressional allocation of $1,000 million, which from the beginning has been expected to benefit some 40,000 families with the installation of solar panel systems and storage batteries.
However, as Governor Pierluisi mentioned in a round table with El Nuevo Día last week, Granholm expressed that the DOE remains open about the purpose to which the funds, approved by Congress last December, could be used.
In an interview with this newspaper, Pierluisi said that the development of microgrids is an area that the DOE could impact, since the state government already manages several programs aimed at installing solar systems in residences, particularly for low-income families.
“Clearly, microgrids are a piece in that process, as are roof panels. Both (will be included in the program), and perhaps (assignments aimed at recruiting) workforce. That is why we are in the process of designing the program and will publish a request for proposals for financing opportunities after the comment period closes”, indicated the Secretary of Energy.
This week, precisely, FEMA approved an allocation of $10.2 million for the first stage of the development of two microgrids that would allow the municipalities of Vieques and Culebra to be fully energized. In total, the projects would cost $97 million. The microgrids would operate independently of Puerto Rico’s central grid and would have the capacity to generate 12.5 megawatts (MW) in Vieques and 3 MW in Culebra.
At the press conference, held at the Antiguo Casino de Puerto Rico, Pierluisi announced that COR3 presented to the DOE the plan for the use of $3.7 million for a program to prevent electrical interruptions.
“We have already identified organizations and entities in different parts of the island, including our mountainous area, that have projects already advanced and need financial support to complete the next steps that will make the development of microgrids possible,” said the governor, who specified that the state government will contribute $1.7 million in matching.
FEMA was represented at the press conference by Associate Assistant Administrator for Response and Recovery, Keith Turi. The agency’s national administrator, Deanne Criswell, who was supposed to meet with Pierluisi and Granholm on Thursday, excused herself because she is in Mississippi responding to an emergency caused by severe storms and tornadoes a week ago.
With Friday’s meeting with state and federal officials, Granholm concluded his second official visit to Puerto Rico since Hurricane Fiona last September. On this occasion, the head of the DOE made stops in Orocovis, Adjuntas, Yauco, Mayagüez and Isabela, in addition to visiting the LUMA facilities in Canóvanas.
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Secretary of the US Department of Energy visits the island of Culebra in Puerto Rico to inspect a solar system project