massive power cuts Covered most of Puerto Rico Early Tuesday, more than 1.2 million people remained without power. Here's what to know about blackouts and Luma Energy, which handles the distribution and transmission of electricity on the island.
What causes blackouts?
Luma Energy said in a statement that it was investigating the cause of the outage, but noted that initial findings point to problems in the underground line.
How soon will power be restored to Puerto Rico?
Luma said in a statement It was said early Tuesday that it would likely take 24-28 hours to restore power throughout Puerto Rico.
The company later said service had resumed in some areas, including San Juan's municipal hospital, but did not disclose how many people still lacked power.
Puerto Rico's main airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Luis Muñoz Marín, Said It said on social media on Tuesday that it had activated the backup power generator and was working normally.
What is Luma?
Luma is a private Canadian-American company, based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that operates and manages electric power infrastructure in Puerto Rico.
After Hurricane Maria, which devastated American territory In September of 2017, the Government of Puerto Rico hired Luma to handle the transmission and distribution of electricity on the island through 2021. Electricity was previously supervised by the state-owned Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), which went bankrupt in 2017 Because the government faced billions of dollars in public debt payments.
Luma CEO Juan Saca, an experienced telecommunications industry executive who was appointed to lead the company in 2023, Said At a hearing before a House panel on September 26, Luma said it had made significant investments to improve Puerto Rico's grid. This included installing more than 17,850 storm-resistant utility poles, adding thousands of automation devices aimed at reducing the impact of power outages, and clearing vegetation around the island that could hinder maintenance.
“The impact has been real. Over the last year, more than 95% of customers had concurrent service more than 98% of the time when generation was available,” he told lawmakers.
But Saca also tried to deflect criticism that Puerto Rico's electricity system is unreliable, pointing to past “financial mismanagement.” PREPA's bankruptcy seven years ago has also hindered progress in strengthening and modernizing the island's grid, he said.
Have Puerto Ricans suffered power outages before?
Puerto Rico's electric grid was troubled even before Hurricane Maria, the result of inadequate maintenance and years of underinvestment. But Category 4 storm crippled system: Power outages and high power costs continue years after Maria Mango in Puerto Rico,
In June, to cite a recent example, a Power outage More than 340,000 Puerto Ricans were plunged into darkness after two power plants on the island were shut down.
“They're part of my everyday life,” Enid Nunez, 49, said as she eats breakfast before work thanks to a small gas stove she bought for such events, she told The Associated Press. Raul Pacheco, a 63-year-old diabetic suffering from an injured foot, said he planned to sleep on his balcony during the outage.
Antonio Torres Miranda, Associate Commissioner of Puerto Rico's Energy Agency, Said The House heard that the island's electricity distribution and transmission systems have made progress but are still at low levels.
“The recent outage events of June 2024, which affected more than 300,000 customers, are a reminder of the fragility of our infrastructure and the urgent need for comprehensive reform,” he said. “These incidents highlight the complex interplay of aging assets, deferred maintenance and the increasing impacts of climate change on our island’s power grid.”
Some critics have been unclear in their assessment of Luma's record in Puerto Rico.
“Almost 25 years into the 21st century, it is ridiculous that Puerto Rico's power grid has failed its people again. Puerto Ricans deserve answers and accountability from LUMA for this latest failure,” Grassroots Advocacy. Camille Rivera, founder of the organization La Brega y Fuerza, said in a statement. “Luma holds Puerto Rico in a tight spot on energy issues, and Puerto Ricans should not continue to be subjected to substandard service.”
Contributed to this report.