Blackout Leaves Over 1.2 Million in Puerto Rico Without Power on New Year's Eve

Dec 31, 2024, 01:56 PM

Puerto Rico experienced a widespread power outage at dawn on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, leaving over 1.2 million of the island's 1.47 million electricity customers without power—nearly 90% of the population. Luma Energy, the company managing the island's fragile power grid, reported that initial investigations point to a failure in an underground power line as the cause of the blackout. The outage occurred just hours before New Year's Eve celebrations, plunging the island into darkness and causing a significant decline in internet connectivity. Luma Energy stated that restoring power could take between 24 to 28 hours, raising concerns about residents spending New Year's Eve without electricity.