Former DACO secretary launches TuReclamoPR.org: a free guide to filing appliance-damage claims against LUMA

If a blackout or a voltage surge ever fried your fridge, your air conditioner or your TV, and you never filed a claim because the process seemed designed to make you give up, there is now a free tool built precisely for you. Valerie Rodríguez Erazo, former secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO), announced on Tuesday, August 25, the launch of TuReclamoPR.org, a digital platform that walks consumers and business owners step by step through preparing damage claims related to the electrical system ¹².

The site includes information on consumer rights, the relevant court decisions, the applicable provisions of the Civil Code, the procedure for filing a claim, and a question-and-answer section ¹. The tool does not file claims or provide legal representation: its purpose is to help people understand the process, organize their evidence, and generate a PDF case file ready to submit to LUMA Energy ².

The launch did not come out of nowhere. It was Rodríguez Erazo herself who, while leading DACO, took to court the clause in LUMA's contract that operated as a liability waiver and placed obstacles in front of customers claiming for burned-out appliances. On December 1, 2025, the Puerto Rico Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the waiver could not block negligence claims ³⁴. LUMA then went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston, which dismissed its appeal this August, leaving the pro-consumer ruling standing ³. In a radio interview, the former official was blunt: "The right of Puerto Ricans to file claims was violated here," adding that "the government should act and enforce this judgment, which favors the people" ³.

The numbers explain why a tool like this is needed. According to data LUMA itself provided to Metro Puerto Rico, between June 1, 2021 and June 5, 2026 the consortium received 2,266 claims for property damage attributed to voltage fluctuations. Of those, it paid exactly one: $402.01. It denied 2,124, rejected another 123 as incomplete, 5 expired, and 13 were still pending at the close of that period ⁴. In other words, eight months after the Supreme Court ruling, the historical odds of collecting on a claim hovered around 0.04% ⁴. Rodríguez Erazo, who under the Ethics Act restrictions cannot intervene in matters tied to her former agency for two years, says citizens keep writing to her for guidance; the platform is her answer within that legal limit ¹³.

What it means for you

You have the right to claim against LUMA for appliances damaged by the operator's negligence, and that right has already survived both the Puerto Rico Supreme Court and the federal appeals court in Boston ³⁴. The window to act is one year from the moment you learn of the damage and who caused it, under Articles 1197 and 1204 of the Civil Code ². A detail few people know: a properly made extrajudicial claim interrupts that clock and restarts it from zero, and you do not need complete evidence before filing; you stop the clock first and add documents later ². The platform is free, charges nothing for the case file, and locates the nearest LUMA office by municipality ².

How to do it / Checklist

1. Go to TuReclamoPR.org and read the rights and requirements section before starting ².
2. Document the damage right away: photos or videos of the affected appliance, plus the date and time of the outage or fluctuation that caused it ².
3. Gather proof of value: original receipts, invoices, or technical repair reports and estimates if you no longer have the receipt ².
4. Use the platform's question assistant for doubts about receipts, technical reports, and acceptable documents ².
5. Fill in your information and the list of damaged appliances, upload your evidence, and download the PDF case file ².
6. File the claim with LUMA at the office the platform suggests for your municipality, and confirm current hours and procedures directly with LUMA before going ².
7. Watch the deadline: file within the year, clearly identify the damage and the responsible party, and state in writing your intent to interrupt the prescriptive period ².

What's next

Rodríguez Erazo argues there should be an independent body evaluating claims, instead of LUMA having the final word on damages attributed to its own operation ³. She is also calling for stronger oversight from the Energy Bureau and a more active role for the Independent Consumer Protection Office, which through mid-2026 had guided barely 25 consumers on this issue ³⁴. For LUMA, seeking review at the U.S. Supreme Court would be an "uphill battle," according to the former secretary ³. With the ruling final and a public tool for building case files, what comes next is predictable: more claims, better documented, and more pressure on the operator to start paying them ¹³⁴.

Sources

1. El Nuevo Día - Former DACO Secretary creates platform to "facilitate complaints" against LUMA Energy
2. Tu Reclamo PR - Prepara tu expediente para LUMA
3. Telemundo PR - Exjefa del DACO pide hacer valer fallo que favorece a consumidores frente a LUMA
4. Metro Puerto Rico - LUMA Energy reporta una sola reclamación pagada por daños a enseres