A blackout hit nearly all of Puerto Rico on New Year’s Eve, leaving over 1.3 million clients without power. The outage, which was caused by a failure of an underground power line, left the island in an eerie silence and plunged electrical appliances and air conditioners into darkness.
According to Luma Energy, a private company that oversees electricity transmission and distribution, nearly 90% of 1.47 million clients across Puerto Rico were left without power. The company is working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible, and by Tuesday night, more than 700,000 clients, including 16 hospitals and Puerto Rico’s water and sewer company, had power back.
The outage has caused widespread frustration among residents, with many taking to social media to express their anger and disappointment. Governor-elect Jenniffer González Colón has called for the creation of an “energy czar” to review potential Luma contractual breaches while another operator is found.
The U.S. government has also offered federal assistance to help speed power restoration on the island. President Joe Biden spoke with Puerto Rican Governor Pedro Pierluisi on Tuesday evening to discuss the outage and the efforts to restore power.
The blackout has also disrupted businesses, parks, and malls, with some government agencies operating on limited schedules. Workers have been checking on bedridden patients and distributing ice for diabetics to keep their insulin cold.
Despite the challenges caused by the blackout, many Puerto Ricans are taking it in stride. Some are planning ahead, while others are finding ways to make the best of the situation. As one resident said, “They’re part of my everyday life.”
The island’s power grid has been plagued by chronic outages and maintenance issues since Hurricane Maria in 2017. The grid is still dependent on generators provided by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency to help stabilize the grid.