Puerto Rico Blackout Hits 1.47 Million on New Year's Eve

Puerto Rico experienced a massive blackout on New Year’s Eve, affecting nearly 90% of the island's 1.47 million power customers due to a failure in an underground power line. LUMA Energy, responsible for power distribution, activated its Emergency Operations Center and is collaborating with Genera PR to restore power in phases, which may take 24-48 hours. Critical facilities like San Juan’s Medical Center and Municipal Hospital were prioritized for restoration. Governor Pedro Pierluisi is demanding answers and expedited solutions, highlighting ongoing issues with the island's fragile power grid, worsened by Hurricane Maria in 2017. The island's privatized energy system, under scrutiny, faces pressure from Puerto Ricans frustrated with frequent outages. Despite substantial federal funds for grid repairs, progress has been slow, leading to calls for a new 'energy czar' to oversee energy management.