Crews in Puerto Rico are working hard to restore power after a massive blackout affected the entire island on Wednesday. The outage, which started just after noon, left around 1.4 million customers without electricity and over 400,000 without water. The blackout disrupted services at the main international airport and impacted hospitals and hotels filled with Easter vacationers.
By Thursday afternoon, about 826,600 customers, or 56%, had their power restored, and 83% of water services were back online. Officials expect that within 48 to 72 hours, 90% of customers will have power again. Governor Jenniffer González expressed her frustration over the situation, stating it was a shame for the people of Puerto Rico. She cut her vacation short to return home and address the crisis.
The blackout has caused significant disruptions, forcing many businesses to close and leaving those without generators scrambling for ice and candles. González mentioned that it would take at least three days to determine what caused the blackout, emphasizing the fragility of the island’s power system. This incident marks the second major blackout in less than four months, with the last one occurring on New Year’s Eve.
Residents are voicing their concerns, particularly about the timing of the outage during the holiday season. Many are calling for the government to cancel contracts with Luma Energy and Genera PR, the companies responsible for power distribution and generation. González acknowledged these concerns and promised to consider them, but noted that changes would take time.
The economic impact of such outages is significant, with González estimating a daily revenue loss of around $230 million. Business leaders are worried that ongoing power failures will deter potential investors, as Puerto Rico continues to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017, which severely damaged its power grid.
Local officials are also focused on the vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly, with some mayors deploying teams to check on those who rely on medical equipment. Efforts are being made to provide temporary power to those in need.
As for the cause of the blackout, it remains unclear. Some speculate that overgrown vegetation may have interfered with the power grid, which should have been managed by Luma Energy. There are also questions regarding why all generators shut down after a transmission system failure when only one was expected to do so. An investigation is ongoing, with officials looking into the frequency of maintenance checks on the power lines.
The situation highlights the ongoing struggles Puerto Rico faces with its energy infrastructure, which has been deteriorating for years due to a lack of investment and maintenance. As the island works to recover, residents hope for a more reliable power system in the future.