A major blackout engulfed almost the entire island of Puerto Rico as it prepared for New Year’s celebrations, affecting over 1.3 million residents.
The outage, which struck at dawn, led to a widespread silence across the island, as electrical devices, including air conditioners, shut down. Some residents who could afford generators powered them up, attempting to restore normalcy amidst the darkness.
Manuel, a resident of San Juan, voiced his frustration outside a local grocery store, lamenting the coincidence of the outage with his birthday. He exclaimed, “It had to be on the 31st of December! There is no happiness.”
According to Luma Energy, the company responsible for electricity transmission and distribution in Puerto Rico, nearly 90% of their 1.47 million clients were affected. Luma reported restoring power to over 700,000 residents and critical infrastructure, including hospitals and the water and sewer company, by Tuesday night. However, their webpage providing power restoration updates was unavailable to the public.
Luma Energy attributed the power failure to an underground line malfunction and assured the public they were working on restoring electricity “in the quickest and safest way possible.” The outage incited dissatisfaction among residents, as voiced by significant figures like Governor-elect Jenniffer González Colón, who called for a review of Luma’s performance and proposed appointing an “energy czar.”
Governor Pedro Pierluisi communicated with Luma and Genera PR, demanding solutions. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden offered federal assistance to expedite power restoration after discussing the issue with Governor Pierluisi and U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.
Travelers, including cruise ship passengers, faced disruptions, with Discover Puerto Rico alerting them about the blackout and advising contact with tour operators regarding generator availability. While most hotels ran on generators, numerous short-term rental properties without them faced cancellations. Although the primary international airport in San Juan remained operational, the blackout compelled the closure of businesses and reduced government services.
The outage intensified deep-seated frustrations among Puerto Ricans concerning the island’s unreliable power grid, damaged significantly by Hurricane Maria in 2017. This disaster highlighted the longstanding neglect and lack of investment in grid maintenance, which recovery efforts post-Maria have only recently started addressing permanently.
Puerto Rico’s energy scenario remains grim, with the Electric Power Authority struggling with $9 billion in debt. The island largely depends on petroleum for its electricity generation, leading to a reliance on aging power plants and temporary generators provided by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency.
As residents adapted to the outage, some, like Enid Núñez, found solace in routine, relying on a small gas stove for breakfast preparation. In contrast, others, like Julio Córdova, coped by planning for candles and alternative sleeping arrangements, highlighting the resilience and adaptability of Puerto Ricans against an unstable power infrastructure.
The widespread outage in Puerto Rico underscores the critical need for infrastructure reform and investment in sustainable energy solutions. The island’s resilience in the face of repeated power failures reflects a growing demand for reliable energy sources that can withstand future challenges.
Source: Nbcmiami
