A widespread power outage struck nearly all of Puerto Rico early Tuesday as the island prepared for New Year’s Eve celebrations. More than 1.2 million of 1.47 million customers were left without power, according to Luma Energy, the company responsible for electricity transmission and distribution on the island.
Luma Energy initially stated that it could take 24 to 48 hours to restore power, depending on conditions. However, a few hours later, they reported that service had been restored in some areas, though the exact number of affected clients was not provided. The company confirmed that a medical center and the Municipal Hospital of San Juan were back online and promised to provide further updates on restoration efforts.
The cause of the outage is under investigation, but Luma Energy indicated that it might have been triggered by a failure in an underground line. Puerto Rico’s primary energy generator, Genera, also reported that the outage impacted its plants and other private electricity generators.
Governor Pedro Pierluisi stated that his administration was in communication with both Luma and Genera, pressing for swift resolution and demanding updates on the restoration process. Josué Colón, head of Puerto Rico’s electric energy authority, mentioned that full service could take several days to restore.
The island’s power grid, already weakened by years of underinvestment and Hurricane Maria in 2017, continues to face persistent outages.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo criticized the federal government for its failure to address Puerto Rico’s ongoing power issues, emphasizing that the U.S. territory deserves better treatment and infrastructure.
