A widespread blackout affected nearly all of Puerto Rico early on New Year’s Eve, leaving over 1.3 million customers without electricity. The outage began at dawn, just as residents were preparing to celebrate the holiday, casting the island into silence as most electrical appliances and air conditioning units shut down. For those with generators, the challenge of powering their homes began.
As people expressed their frustrations, one man named Manuel lamented the timing of the blackout, noting that it coincided with his birthday. Approximately 90% of customers across the island were impacted, according to Luma Energy, the private company responsible for electricity transmission and distribution.
By late Tuesday night, over 700,000 customers, including several hospitals and Puerto Rico’s water and sewer service, had their power restored. However, Luma’s website, which provided updates on outages, was temporarily down. The cause of the blackout was attributed to a failure in an underground power line, with Luma pledging to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.
Puerto Rico’s tourism sector felt the effects as well, with Discover Puerto Rico advising travelers to check with their cruise operators regarding generator availability. Although major hotels managed operations with generators, many short-term rentals faced cancellations. San Juan’s main international airport remained open amid the disruption.
The blackout reignited public frustration directed at Luma and Genera PR, the company managing power generation. Governor-elect Jenniffer González Colón, set to take office on January 2, expressed the need for an “energy czar” to investigate potential Luma contractual violations and to stabilize the island’s energy grid. In response, current Governor Pedro Pierluisi stated he was in contact with Luma and emphasized the need for answers and solutions.
President Joe Biden also offered federal assistance to support power restoration efforts during a conversation with Pierluisi. The outage led to the closure of businesses, parks, and malls, prompting the government to announce limited services. Health officials checked on vulnerable patients and handed out ice to keep medications cold.
Despite the inconvenience, some residents displayed resilience. One local commented that power outages were part of daily life for them, having adapted with gas stoves for cooking during blackouts. Nonetheless, Puerto Rico continues to face challenges with a flawed power grid that struggles to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017, resulting in chronic outages exacerbated by years of neglect and underinvestment.
In light of the situation, as crews begin to undertake urgent repair and improvement projects, there remains hope that these challenges can lead to meaningful reforms and a more stable energy future for Puerto Rico.