Puerto Rico's Blackout Leaves 1.3 Million Without Power; Restoration Could Take 48 Hours

Dec 31, 2024, 01:34 PM

Puerto Rico experienced an island-wide power outage on December 31, 2024, leaving nearly 1.3 million clients, or almost 90% of households, without electricity. The blackout occurred after a failure in the fragile power grid ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations. LUMA Energy, the company responsible for electricity transmission and distribution in Puerto Rico, announced that initial findings in their investigation point to a failure in an underground power line. The company estimates that restoring power to customers may take 24 to 48 hours. The widespread outage has also led to a significant decline in internet connectivity across the island, leaving residents concerned about spending New Year's Eve in the dark.