PANAMA CITY, PANAMA (Piero Stewart, Energy Analytics Institute, 20.Jun.2025, Words: 346) — San Juan, Puerto Rico-based LUMA, as part of its efforts to strengthen the electrical system, completed repairs to the main transformer at the Las Piedras substation.
The repairs will improve service reliability for over 7,450 customers in this municipality, LUMA said on 20 Jun. 2025 in an official statement.
LUMA said that during the repairs a portable substation was installed following the outage in Apr. 2025, which allowed customers to remain in service while the repairs were underway. This effort reflects the LUMA’s commitment to minimizing service disruptions during planned improvement work, the company said.
In addition, the company responsible for transmission and distribution completed the standard electrical tests typically performed on repaired transformers, resulting in a unit that is ready for use.
“As part of the work performed, we internally inspected the transformer and repaired a component called the voltage selector, which had malfunctioned. This device is used to identify voltage levels. Once repaired, we conducted gas tests and removed the gases, followed by an oil cleaning process to ensure the transformer was operating optimally,” LUMA’s director of eastern substations Luis Miranda said in the statement.
Additional work will be carried out on 20 Jun. 2025 to remove the portable substation currently in place at Las Piedras and reconnect the repaired transformer. These activities may temporarily interrupt service for customers in the area between 6am-8pm, LUMA said.
As part of these efforts, crews will also correct a “hot spot” — a point of electrical contact that causes high temperatures and, if left unaddressed, could result in a service outage. Additionally, the substation team will proactively install remote monitoring devices to protect the transformer from electrical discharges and other risks, helping prevent future outages for customers in the area.
LUMA performs planned improvement work in coordination with municipalities and in compliance with strict safety measures and the highest industry standards. Specific areas that may be affected are listed on the planned improvements portal.
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By Piero Stewart reporting from Panama City. © 2025 Energy Analytics Institute (EAI). All Rights Reserved.
