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Puerto Rico Plunged into Darkness After Island-Wide Blackout
A massive power outage plunged Puerto Rico into darkness Wednesday afternoon, leaving over 1.4 million customers without electricity. The island-wide blackout occurred shortly after 12:38 p.m. ADT, impacting the entire island.
Governor Jenniffer González-Colón addressed the situation on social media, assuring residents that officials are working diligently to restore power. “As soon as we have more details about the cause of the blackout and the estimated restoration time, we will make an announcement,” she stated.
Energy Czar Josué Colón expressed his frustration during a news conference, stating the situation was “unfortunate” and unacceptable. He indicated the outage appeared to originate in the southern region, between EcoElectrica and Costa Sur, with additional transmission lines affected. A reported breakdown in a transmission line connecting Penuelas and Guayanilla further complicated the situation.
Genera PR, the electric company, confirmed the incident, stating all power generation plants unexpectedly went offline, leading to the massive blackout.
While the exact cause remains under investigation, there is a glimmer of hope. LUMA Energy reported that its Palo Seco power plant returned to service by 3 p.m., and up to 7,000 customers saw their power restored by Wednesday afternoon. Colón estimated that most customers should have their electricity restored by the end of the day Thursday.
In the meantime, hospitals are relying on generators to ensure continued operation and patient care.