SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Power outages hit much of Puerto Rico early Tuesday, leaving more than 1.3 million customers in the dark as the U.S. territory prepared to celebrate the new year. Officials said it could take up to two days to restore power.
The power outage occurred at dawn, and before those who could afford generators could turn it on, appliances and air conditioners went out, plunging the island into an eerie silence.
“It had to be December 31st!” said one man, who gave his name only as Manuel, as he stood outside a grocery store in the capital San Juan, complaining about the power outage that coincided with his birthday. shouted. “There’s no such thing as happiness.”
Luma Energy, the private company that oversees electricity transmission and distribution, said nearly 90% of Puerto Rico’s 1.47 million customers were left in the dark.
The city of Luma said in a statement that the outage appeared to be caused by a faulty underground power line, and that it was restoring power “in the quickest and safest way possible.” A Luma spokesperson told The Associated Press that the incident is under investigation.
The outage sparked anger at Luma and against Genera Public Relations, which oversees Puerto Rico’s power generation. As more and more people call for their expulsion,.
Gov.-elect Jennifer González Colón, who is scheduled to take office on Jan. 2, has called for the creation of an “energy czar” to review potential Luma contract violations until another operator is found.
Meanwhile, Governor Pedro Pierluisi said he was in touch with Luma and Genera’s public relations, adding that “we want answers and solutions” to X.
Puerto Ricans started planning ahead.
“I’m going to the balcony. I’m going to sleep there,” Raul Pacheco said with a shrug as the 63-year-old diabetic sat on a walker and nursed his injured leg.
Julio Cordova, a city worker, said he had planned to change clothes and buy candles using the light from his cell phone.
“This affects me because I had a plan. Wasn’t it yesterday or tomorrow?” he said, shaking his head as he raked the leaves.
Power outages are rare in Puerto Rico; Suffering from chronic power outages The cause has been blamed on the collapse of the power grid, which was destroyed by Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm, in September 2017.
However, this system was already in decline due to years of lack of maintenance and investment.
Workers only recently began making permanent repairs to Puerto Rico’s power grid after Hurricane Maria. The island continues to rely on generators provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to stabilize the power grid.
In November, Puerto Rico’s government asked U.S. authorities for permission to keep more than a dozen portable generators in use for another two years.
Some Puerto Ricans took the power outage in stride.
“They are part of my daily life,” said Enid Nuñez, 49. She said she eats breakfast before work thanks to a small gas stove she bought for these events.
Meanwhile, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority struggling with restructuring With more than $9 billion in debt, it is the largest of any government agency on the island.
