Puerto Rico begins another year plagued by widespread power outages

An island-wide blackout on New Year’s Eve left Puerto Ricans navigating darkness, highlighting ongoing issues with a privatized, fragile energy grid that has yet to recover from Hurricane Maria’s devastation.

Gautama Mehta reports for Grist.

In short:

Puerto Rico experienced a massive blackout on December 31, affecting over 1.2 million households, with some areas left without power for most of the day.
Privatized energy operators LUMA Energy and New Fortress Energy have raised prices despite frequent outages, sparking public frustration and protest movements.
Governor Jenniffer González-Colón acknowledged the grid’s fragile state as another rate hike took effect on January 1, 2025.

Key quote:

“Our electrical system is in such a precarious situation that anything can cause the power to go out.”

— Jenniffer González-Colón, Puerto Rico governor

Why this matters:

Years after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico’s unreliable grid continues to disrupt daily life and economic recovery. Privatization efforts have led to higher costs without improving service, leaving residents vulnerable to power failures and extreme weather.

grist.org

Puerto Rico begins another year plagued by widespread power outages

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