FEMA allocates $74.4M to PREPA for Aguirre Transmission Center repairs
Summary
Part of the work in this second phase includes building high-voltage electrical interconnectivity zones to connect renewable energy projects. (Credit: FEMA)The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded more than $74.4 million to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) to start the second phase of repairs at the Aguirre Transmission Center in Salinas.The work in this phase involves constructing high-voltage electrical interconnectivity zones to facilitate connections with renewable energy projects.This obligation is an important step for renewing Puerto Ricos electric grid into a robust, reliable and resilient system. The Aguirre Transmission Center is one of the countrys main power generation centers, and these funds will help modernize it and increase its energy production, said Jos\xe9 G. Baquero. FEMAs federal disaster recovery coordinator.The projects second phase will also see improvements to the power protection, control and monitoring systems, procurement of an emergency generator, and replacement of several transformers. This follows a previous allocation of more than $35 million by FEMA in 2022 for the first phase, aimed at increasing the facilitys capacity and operational stability.The Aguirre Transmission Center stands as one of Puerto Ricos four key power generation plants, boasting a maximum generating capacity of 1,500 megawatts.FEMAs funding for the Aguirre Power Plant forms part of approximately $9.5 billion allocated under the agencys Accelerated Award Strategy (FAASt), approved in September 2020, to overhaul the islands electricity generation, transmission and distribution systems.As part of the transformation of the electrical grid, this obligation for the execution of the second phase of the work at the Aguirre Power Plant in Salinas will integrate new energy technologies, which supports the transition necessary to comply with Act 17-2019 created by the Government of Puerto Rico, with the purpose of increasing the Renewable Energy Portfolio to reach 100% by 2050, said Manuel Laboy, executive director of the islands Central Office of Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency.