Puerto Rico was hit by another massive power outage Wednesday, leaving the United States territory in the dark for a second time in four months, officials said.
Local power authorities, Genera and LUMA, recorded a system failure at approximately 12:40 p.m. that affected service island-wide.
“Our staff is in constant communication with the power companies to identify the cause of the event and safely restore service,” LUMA said in a statement posted to X. “We will keep you informed through our social media channels.”
The outage affects 1.4 million customers of LUMA Energy, the island’s private power company, impacting 76% of its customer base, the company said.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) claimed in a social media post that over 400,000 Puerto Ricans are without electricity.
“The three million American citizens of Puerto Rico have long been denied affordable and reliable electricity—despite paying some of the highest utility rates in the United States,” Torres said. “Access to dependable power—a basic right most Americans take for granted—remains out of reach for millions on the island. As we speak, more than 400,000 Puerto Ricans are without electricity in the wealthiest nation on Earth. That is a national disgrace.”
This outage is the latest in a series of significant blackouts that have plagued the island in recent years, following the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017, which destroyed much of the power grid. Gov. Jenniffer González, who was traveling, stated that officials were “working diligently” to resolve the outage.
The island’s aging power infrastructure has been a persistent source of frustration for residents, who face frequent outages and some of the highest electricity rates in the U.S.
In December, Puerto Rico experienced an island-wide blackout on New Year’s Eve when an underground power line failure plunged the island into darkness for two days. Officials warned customers that temporary outages could still be expected even after the system was fully restored.
Power outages have become so common in Puerto Rico that many residents have installed solar panels and batteries in their homes and businesses. The ongoing instability of the power grid has also led to protests, with many criticizing LUMA, which took over power transmission and distribution in 2021.
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