Blackout Engulfs Puerto Rico Just Before New Year’s

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A major blackout hit nearly all of Puerto Rico on Tuesday morning as the island was gearing up to celebrate the New Year, resulting in over 1.3 million customers losing power. Reports indicate that the outage began at around 5:30 a.m. local time.

The electrical disturbance cast Puerto Rico into darkness, interrupting the tranquil morning routine for many residents. Individuals hurriedly turned to generators, if they had them, while air conditioners and appliances fell silent.

A local resident, who identified himself as Manuel, voiced his frustration, saying, ‘It had to be on the 31st of December! There is no happiness.’ This sentiment echoed the feelings of many as the outage coincided with both the New Year festivities and a noted increase in calls for accountability within the energy management system.

According to Luma Energy, the private entity responsible for electricity transmission and distribution in Puerto Rico, preliminary investigations suggest that an underground power line failure caused the issues. A representative promised that they are working diligently to restore power as safely and quickly as possible.

The blackout drew ire towards Luma Energy and Genera PR, who oversee the generation of electricity on the island, as citizens became vocal about their anger, with many demanding their removal.

In comments made on social media, Governor Pedro Pierluisi stated he was in communication with these companies and insisted, ‘We are demanding answers and solutions.’

As households prepared for an unpredictable day without power, locals such as 63-year-old Raúl Pacheco planned makeshift accommodations, saying, ‘I’ll go to my balcony. That’s where I’ll sleep.’ Others like Julio Córdova expressed disappointment over their disrupted plans, remarking, ‘It couldn’t have been yesterday or tomorrow?’

This latest blackout raises concerns as Puerto Rico has faced ongoing power reliability issues exacerbated by years of neglect, maintenance failures, and compounded by the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017. The power system was already deteriorating pre-Hurricane Maria, which left extensive damage and long-term outages in its wake.

While blackouts are infrequent, the island’s outdated infrastructure continues to struggle under increased demand and lower supply reliability. After Maria, they began receiving emergency generators from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help stabilize the system. With ongoing issues, the Puerto Rican government has sought extensions to the use of these temporary generators.

Despite the challenges, some residents remain resilient. ‘They are part of my everyday life,’ shared Enid Núñez, 49, who prepared for the situation with alternative cooking methods. This attitude indicates a growing acceptance of the precarious energy situation faced by many Puerto Ricans.