LUMA Energy is contractually responsible for vegetation clearance on power lines
PREPA requested the return of eight tree pruning projects worth $42 million
The projects would be carried out with the US Army Corps of Engineers
Why this matters: The transfer of tree pruning functions could impact the reliability of Puerto Rico’s power grid, which is still recovering from Hurricane Maria.
Senator Ángel Toledo raised concerns during a Senate Government Commission public hearing about the transfer of some tree-trimming (vegetation clearance) responsibilities near electrical lines from LUMA Energy back to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA). Representatives from both LUMA and PREPA appeared at the hearing. Toledo said his office received information indicating that although LUMA is contractually responsible for vegetation clearance along power lines, PREPA requested that eight projects be returned to its control.
According to information obtained by Toledo, PREPA intervened and asked for these eight tree-trimming projects, valued at $42 million, to be handed back to it, with the work to be carried out alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
In context (787daily, from public data)
<0.1%of LUMA customers without power
57-day average 0.3% · worst 1.8%, Sep 30
LUMA's portal showed under 0.1% of customers out at 6:07 AM AST on Nov 2, 2026. Across the 57 days 787daily has tracked it, the daily average is 0.3% and the worst was 1.8% on Sep 30, 2026.
Worst of LUMA's five full years, up from 26.3 hours the year before
Customers averaged 28.4 hours without power in the fiscal year that ended in June 2026, the worst of the five full years LUMA has run the grid and up from 26.3 hours the year before.
LUMA operates the transmission and distribution system.