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Puerto Rico under pressure as 1.25 million households impacted by power outage

A massive power outage plunged Puerto Rico into darkness on New Year's Eve, affecting more than a million households. The structural challenges of the energy grid reveal significant shortcomings.

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Puerto Rico, a territory associated with the United States, faced a major power outage on December 31, leaving approximately 1.25 million households without electricity. Luma Energy, the operator managing the grid, confirmed that 85.6% of customers had regained power by the morning of January 1.

Technical failure and aging infrastructure

The outage was caused by an overload on a high-voltage cable in the southern part of the island, triggering a cascading failure across the grid. This incident highlights the chronic weaknesses of an energy system still recovering from the devastating hurricanes of 2017 and the 2020 earthquake.

Puerto Rico’s electric grid, managed by Luma Energy and Genera, frequently experiences massive outages. Structural issues, combined with insufficient investment, underline the territory’s critical dependence on federal assistance.

Economic and political repercussions

This outage occurred during the peak tourist season, dealing a severe blow to an already fragile economy. Prolonged darkness in key areas, such as the capital San Juan, caused significant disruptions in public services and the private sector.

Politically, this incident has fueled criticism of energy operators and local authorities. Governor Pedro Pierluisi has increased pressure on Luma and Genera to provide explanations and long-term solutions. He also requested continued support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Uncertain solutions ahead

Puerto Rico’s energy challenges require a coordinated response between local and federal actors. Calls for a complete modernization of infrastructure are growing, but budget constraints and complex administrative processes hinder concrete progress.

While power has been restored in most areas, experts warn that a sustainable solution to prevent future outages will require significant investment and structural overhaul of the grid.

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