Power has been restored to nearly all of Puerto Rico, with an estimated 98.8% of customers having their electricity back on, according to LUMA Energy’s latest update. The power company reported that almost 1.5 million people are now connected, representing 98.8% of its total customer base.
LUMA Energy stated that it has met its initial projection of restoring service to at least 90% of customers by Friday afternoon and continues to work towards fully reconnecting the island. The company’s teams are focused on stabilizing the system and restoring power to the remaining customers, despite some potential temporary interruptions due to limited generation.
The company also reported that critical infrastructure such as hospitals, water plants, airports, and emergency services have been restored in most regions. However, the massive outage appears to be caused by a combination of factors, including a “failure in the protection system” and vegetation on a transmission line between Campaleche and Manatí.
This latest blackout is part of a series of significant power outages that have plagued Puerto Rico in recent years, following the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017. The ongoing instability of the power grid has led to protests against LUMA, which took over power transmission and distribution in 2021.
In response to the outage, some residents have taken matters into their own hands by installing solar panels and batteries in their homes and businesses.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/US/power-restored-puerto-rico/story?id=120938890