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Power Restoration Efforts Underway in Puerto Rico Following Island-Wide Blackout
Approximately 58% of Puerto Rico has had power restored as of Thursday, according to the government of Puerto Rico federal affairs administration, following a widespread blackout that impacted the entire island on Wednesday. Current electricity generation has reached 1,439 megawatts. Officials stated that 31 generation units are currently operational, with efforts underway to bring an additional 16 units online.
Cause of the Power Outage
Luma Energy, the electric utility company in Puerto Rico, issued an update indicating that preliminary analysis suggests a failure in the protection system initiated the incident. This was reportedly compounded by vegetation coming into contact with a transmission line between Cambalache and Manatí.
According to Luma Energy, this chain of events triggered a sequence of failures that ultimately led to the extensive power outage across the island.
Government Response and Grid Modernization
Energy Secretary Chris Wright released a statement on Thursday, affirming that the department is closely monitoring the situation in Puerto Rico and its progress in restoring power to residents. He stated that communication is ongoing with Governor Jenniffer González-Colón and that they are prepared to offer assistance if required.
Wright emphasized the administration’s commitment to ensuring affordable, reliable, and secure energy for all Americans. He noted active collaboration with Governor González-Colón to strengthen Puerto Rico’s grid and re-establish stability for the island’s population.
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Governor González-Colón echoed these sentiments, stating that Puerto Rico requires a contemporary and dependable power grid. She affirmed that all stakeholders would be held responsible for ensuring substantial advancements in this regard.
Economic Repercussions of Power Outage
Governor González-Colón stated that a power outage of this scale results in an estimated $230 million in daily revenue losses.
Recurring Blackouts Highlight Infrastructure Issues
This recent blackout is part of a series of significant power outages that have plagued the US territory. Residents have experienced repeated disruptions since Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017, necessitating extensive reconstruction of the power grid. A recent major blackout occurred as recently as New Year’s Eve.
Business leaders have voiced strong concerns regarding the repeated nature of these incidents. Ramón C Barquín III, president of the United Retail Center, a nonprofit representing small and medium-sized businesses, expressed frustration, stating, “We cannot continue to repeat this cycle of blackouts without taking concrete measures to strengthen our energy infrastructure.”
Impact on Residents
Reports and online videos depicted passengers disembarking and walking along stationary public transit trains in Puerto Rico due to the blackout.
Residents like 50-year-old Dorca Navarrete described the hardship caused by the lack of electricity. She reported experiencing a sleepless and uncomfortably hot night, stating, “Last night was horrible,” and “I woke up with a headache.”
Luma Energy Response and Investigation
Luma Energy stated that they are investigating the cause of the incident, including assessing the role of the system’s recognized fragility in contributing to the island-wide outage.
About Luma Energy
Luma Energy is a joint venture comprised of subsidiaries of Canadian energy firm ATCO and US construction and engineering firm Quanta Services.