Only a fraction of the island’s 1.4 million utility customers had power on Tuesday morning. The electricity provider said it would take 24 to 48 hours to restore power.
By Victor Mather, New York Times, Dec. 31, 2024 Updated 10:38 a.m. ET
A sweeping blackout hit Puerto Rico early Tuesday morning, plunging nearly all of the island into darkness on New Year’s Eve.
As of 10:20 a.m. Eastern, only 13 percent of Puerto Rico’s 1.4 million utility customers had power, according to the tracking page of Luma Energy, which supplies power to the U.S. territory. The company said it was activating emergency operations to restore power and described the blackout as “systemwide.”
Luma said on social media that “preliminary findings point to a fault on an underground line.” It said that it planned to restore power in phases and that “the entire process will take between 24-48 hours, conditions permitting.”
Josué Colón, the director of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, told Telemundo that he believed restoration would take several days.
Related news:
Most of Puerto Rico hit by New Year’s Eve power outage (CBS News)
1.3 million left in the dark (The Guardian)
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