The US Army in Puerto Rico, through its administrative structure at Fort Buchanan, revealed it paid $9.8 million to LUMA Energy in the last fiscal year and has begun constructing a microgrid to be completed by 2029. The $45 million project, awarded to Energy Resilience Partners LLC, will provide more reliability and options to ensure operations, even during total power outages, but will not independence from the island’s power grid.
According to Ulises Marrero, principal executive officer and interim commander of the facility, the microgrid is designed to operate the entire installation and can separate from the grid if necessary. The project aligns with the FORTRESS America initiative announced by Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth on September 30. The US Army Corps of Engineers will oversee the construction, which is expected to be completed by October 2029.