On December 31, 2024, a massive power outage plunged nearly all of Puerto Rico into darkness, affecting over 1.3 million residents. The blackout, which began early in the morning, was attributed to a failure in an underground power line, leading to the shutdown of multiple power plants across the island.
Luma Energy, the company responsible for electricity transmission and distribution in Puerto Rico, estimated that restoring power could take between 24 to 48 hours, depending on conditions. By late morning, some critical facilities, including the Municipal Hospital of San Juan, had regained electricity, but the majority of the island remained without power.
Governor Pedro Pierluisi expressed frustration with the situation, demanding swift action and transparency from both Luma Energy and Genera PR, the company overseeing power generation. He emphasized the need for immediate solutions to restore service and called for a thorough investigation into the cause of the outage.
This blackout is the latest in a series of power disruptions that have plagued Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria devastated the island’s electrical grid in 2017. Despite efforts to modernize the infrastructure, residents continue to experience frequent outages, leading to widespread frustration and calls for significant improvements to the power system.
As the island worked to restore electricity, many Puerto Ricans faced the prospect of celebrating New Year’s Eve without power, highlighting the ongoing challenges in achieving a stable and reliable energy supply. The situation has reignited debates over the management and privatization of the island’s electrical grid, with officials and citizens alike demanding lasting solutions to prevent future crises.
