Blackout Strikes Puerto Rico on New Year's Eve, Affecting Over 1.3 Million Customers

On New Year's Eve, Puerto Rico experienced a massive blackout that affected nearly all residents, leaving over 1.3 million customers in the dark. The outage was particularly distressing given the timing, with Manuel, a local celebrating his birthday, expressing his disappointment outside a grocery store where he reported, "There is no happiness."

Luma Energy, which oversees the power transmission and distribution for the island, stated that the blackout impacted around 90 percent of its clientele. As of late on December 31, power had been restored to over 700,000 customers, including essential services like 16 hospitals and the water and sewer authority. However, the company's online outage tracking system was still down.

In an official statement, Luma acknowledged the frustration caused by the outage and identified a potential failure of an underground power line as the cause while confirming that an investigation was underway. The blackout had significant repercussions, leading to business disruptions, park and mall closures, and reduced government operations. Discover Puerto Rico, a local tourism body, recommended that travelers consult with tour operators regarding backup generators due to the scheduled arrival of five cruise ships that day.

As criticism of the island's power infrastructure intensified, Governor-elect Jenniffer Gonzalez Colon vowed to make the stabilization of the energy grid a priority upon assuming office. Current Governor Pedro Pierluisi expressed the need for answers from the responsible entities, Luma and Genera PR. Federal support was also offered by President Joe Biden during discussions with Pierluisi and U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to expedite the power restoration efforts.

The blackout highlights the ongoing issues with Puerto Rico's power grid, which has been plagued by outages since the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Despite attempts to improve the situation with repairs and temporary generators from FEMA, the grid remains fragile. For many on the island, power outages are now part of daily life, as illustrated by 49-year-old Enid Nunez, who recounted cooking breakfast using a small gas stove. The reliance on petroleum-based power plants for over 60 percent of Puerto Rico’s energy further complicates the challenges facing its power infrastructure.