As Puerto Rico enters the New Year, it faces a major power crisis. Nearly 1.3 million people are in the dark after a significant collapse of the island’s power grid. The private company responsible for supplying most of the island’s power, Luma Energy, reported that only 13.5% of customers had power by 10:45 am ET. According to Luma, the outage was caused by a failure in an underground line, and it could take between 24 and 48 hours to restore service.
Governor Pedro Pierluisi expressed his frustration, demanding answers and solutions from Luma Energy. Puerto Ricans have grown accustomed to frequent blackouts, which have worsened since Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017. Despite the setback, residents like Jeanette Ortiz in San Juan are finding ways to adapt, using generators to keep the celebrations going for the New Year. However, concerns linger, as some family members in unsafe neighborhoods may need to leave early to navigate dark roads.
The power struggles in Puerto Rico are not just about electricity. They are deeply rooted in political tensions over the island’s governance. Many Puerto Ricans feel that the privatization of the power grid after Hurricane Maria, a decision endorsed by the federal government under the Promesa Act, has led to an unreliable and costly power system. Activists and residents, like Jenaro Abraham, believe that companies like Luma are taking advantage of Puerto Rico’s vulnerability, raising concerns over the loss of local control and the island’s future.
As Puerto Rico struggles with the power crisis, incoming Governor Jenniffer González-Colón, set to take office on January 2, is planning to appoint an “energy czar” to review Luma’s contract and explore options for another power grid operator.
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