Star Electrical Services & General Supplies, Inc. was established in 1999 and has become a leader in accurate, reliable, and professional solutions in electrical testing and high-voltage devices in Puerto Rico. The company is ISO 9001-2015 certified and is now the newest NETA Accredited Company (NAC) after satisfying the stringent requirements to become a full member.
President Abelardo Hernandez is a Professional Engineer with more than 30 years of experience; a member of the Puerto Rico Professional College of Engineers and Land Surveyors, the Puerto Rico Electrical Contractors (PRECA), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE); and a NETA Level III Certified Technician. Before establishing Star Electrical Services & General Supplies, Inc., Hernandez was a generating plant Superintendent at the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA).
Professional Engineer Juan Manuel Novoa was the Chief of the Substation Maintenance Division at PREPA, where he worked for more than 30 years. He is a member of the Puerto Rico Professional College of Engineers and Land Surveyors and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and is a NETA Level III Certified Technician.
Becoming a NETA Certified Company was a goal Hernandez was determined to obtain, but it was a bumpy ride. A year into the process, Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, leaving the island with no communication, no electrical power, no internet, and almost no transportation since the roads were blocked by trees, electrical posts, and other debris. The first few days after the storm, as companies came to Hernandez’s house to call for help, an announcement on the only on-air radio station called for all personnel to report to duty when it was safe to do so. Hernandez explains, “Our hope for our employees to arrive was very low. They all had suffered damage to their houses and were trying to fix them. But little by little, employees showed up and Star Electrical’s priority became helping PR rise again. An empty coffee can was wrapped around our main building’s front gate for customers to leave messages requesting services. We went back in time — everything was manual. We worked 7 days a weeks for months, all while keeping our goal of becoming a NAC alive. In October 2017, we were able to send our first communication to the NETA office by parking on the side of the highway miles from home where there was a little internet reception. It was amazing to see many other people parked on the side of the road calling family members to let them know they were OK — really something we will never forget.
Star Electrical Services was kept busy with repairs after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017.
“We are happy and proud to become a NETA Accredited Company,” says Hernandez. “This achievement will help Star Electrical Services & General Supplies, Inc. in the eyes of our customers in the Caribbean, Central and South America, and even in the continental USA. Being a NAC provides prestigious value to our company and to the customers we serve. This accreditation process helps assure quality, experience, and training. We acknowledge all of our employees. Their dedication and hard work helped us achieve this prestigious accreditation.”
“NETA welcomes Star Electrical Services & General Supplies, Inc. as its newest NETA Accredited Company,” says Jim Cialdea, the Chief Technical Officer for CE Power Engineered Services, LLC and current NETA President. “NETA Accredited Companies play an important part in advancing the electrical power systems industry and assuring electrical power system safety and reliability. Achieving NETA accreditation is no easy task, and we congratulate Star Electrical on this milestone event.”