Puerto Rico's Power Struggle: Islandwide Blackout Sparks Renewed Calls for Energy Reform

Puerto Rico experienced a massive blackout affecting 1.4 million customers. The outage disrupted daily life, causing traffic jams and business closures. Many called for the cancellation of contracts with Luma Energy and Genera PR. Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez pledged action, acknowledging significant economic losses from such outages.

On Thursday, crews were diligently working to restore power across Puerto Rico following an islandwide blackout. The outage left 1.4 million customers without electricity, including critical infrastructure such as the main international airport and several hospitals. Recovery efforts predicted that 90% of power would be restored within 48 to 72 hours.

Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez, returning early from vacation due to the crisis, expressed frustration over the incident. Many locals echoed her sentiment, with frustrations reaching a peak due to the timing during Easter vacations. Traffic was affected, businesses were forced to close, and those without generators rushed for supplies.

The blackout, the second in four months, prompted calls to cancel contracts with energy firms Luma Energy and Genera PR. Puerto Rico's economy, still recovering from Hurricane Maria in 2017, suffered an estimated USD 230 million loss from the outage. Concerns for vulnerable populations, including the elderly, spurred local leaders to provide emergency resources.

(With inputs from agencies.)