Puerto Rico faced a major power outage on Tuesday, leaving nearly 1.3 million homes and businesses—a significant portion of the island—in darkness. The disruption stemmed from an infrastructure issue at a power plant on the island’s southern coast, according to energy company Luma. The outage occurred around 5:30 a.m., affecting nearly all corners of the U.S. territory.
Residents Express Frustration Amid Holiday Disruptions
For many residents, the outage came as a painful reminder of the island’s ongoing struggles with its energy grid. Miosotis Corretjer, a resident of San Juan, described the situation as “totally frustrating.”
“The people say that we don’t want Luma because it’s the worst service of electricity that we have in the history of our country,” she said. “It’s sad that in this day, the last day of the year, that impacts our holiday traditions, our Navidad, everything is so sad for the people of Puerto Rico.”
The outage severely disrupted holiday plans, with many residents left without light or electricity for celebrations.
Restoration Efforts Underway
By late Tuesday, Luma reported that power had been restored to over 700,000 customers, nearly half of those initially impacted. Critical facilities, including 16 hospitals, the Super Aqueduct, and other Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority installations, were among the first to be re-energized.
“Our teams continue to work diligently toward full restoration,” Luma noted in its update, emphasizing that power was being restored in phases. Earlier, the company identified the issue as related to an underground cable fault, which caused a “cascade effect” that disrupted operations at multiple power plants.
Josué Colón, the director of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), confirmed the cascading failures in a radio interview, noting it would take “much of the day” to address the problem. Luma estimated the full restoration process would take 24 to 48 hours, depending on conditions.
Puerto Rico Political Leadership Pushes for Long-Term Solutions
The crisis prompted swift reactions from Puerto Rico’s political leaders. Governor Pedro Pierluisi said he was in direct contact with Luma and the private energy company Genera PR. “We are demanding answers and solutions from both Luma and Genera, who must expedite the restart of the 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 on X.
Incoming governor Jenniffer González echoed these sentiments, pledging to prioritize a stable energy grid once in office. “Today’s blackout and the uncertainty around restoration continue to impact our economy and quality of life,” she wrote on social media.
A Grid in Peril
Puerto Rico’s electrical system has been plagued by instability, particularly since the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017. The Category 4 storm severely damaged the island’s infrastructure, leaving the grid fragile and prone to failures. Despite efforts to rebuild, long-term solutions have proven elusive.
Even as the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport operated on generators, flights continued without disruption, officials reported.
This latest outage highlights ongoing systemic challenges and the urgent need for modernization of Puerto Rico’s energy infrastructure, which continues to impact daily life and economic stability across the island.
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