Massive Power Outage Leaves Nearly 90% of Puerto Rico Without Electricity/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A critical failure in Puerto Rico’s power grid caused a massive blackout on Tuesday, leaving nearly 1.3 million customers—about 88% of the island—without electricity.
Details of the Outage
- Time of Outage: The total blackout began at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to LUMA Energy, the Canadian-American company responsible for power distribution and transmission.
- Extent of Impact: Approximately 88% of Puerto Rico’s 1.5 million power customers were affected.
- Response: Work is underway to restore power at key generating plants, including San Juan and Palo Seco.
Massive Power Outage Leaves Nearly 90% of Puerto Rico Without Electricity
Government and Utility Responses
Governor Pedro Pierluisi announced via social media that he is demanding urgent action from both LUMA Energy and Genera PR, which oversees energy production on the island.
“We are demanding answers and solutions from both LUMA and Genera, who must expedite the restart of generating units outside the fault area and keep the people duly informed about the measures they are taking to restore service throughout the island,” Pierluisi said.
LUMA Energy’s Emergency Operations Center, in coordination with Genera and other collaborators, is working to restore power as quickly as possible. The company estimates that the full restoration process will take one to two days.
Recurring Power Grid Problems
Puerto Rico has faced ongoing challenges with its fragile and poorly maintained power grid. The system has struggled for decades, first under public management and now under private operators.
- Historical Context:
- In 2017, Hurricane Maria caused the largest blackout in U.S. history, leaving hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans without power for months.
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has since allocated $9.9 billion for permanent repairs.
- Privatization and Modernization:
- In 2021, LUMA Energy assumed management of Puerto Rico’s power grid from the government-owned Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA).
- Genera PR took over energy production in 2023, but modernization has been slow to address longstanding issues.
- Recent Challenges:
Impact on Residents
The latest outage comes as Puerto Ricans prepare to ring in the New Year, highlighting ongoing frustrations with an inconsistent power supply. Many residents continue to rely on the fragile grid, which has yet to undergo the substantial upgrades needed to prevent large-scale failures.
Looking Ahead
The outage is a stark reminder of Puerto Rico’s urgent need for infrastructure investment and resilient energy solutions. Officials and private operators face growing pressure to modernize the island’s grid and ensure reliable service for its residents.
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