Puerto Rico hit with massive island-wide blackout ahead of Easter weekend

A monolithic island-wide blackout deed Puerto Rico connected Wednesday arsenic residents were looking up to the Easter weekend. 

A spokesperson for Luma Energy, which oversees the transmission and organisation of powerfulness for the U.S. territory, told The Associated Press that each 1.4 cardinal customers were affected, including the main planetary airdrome and respective hospitals. At slightest 328,000 customers were without water.

Power had lone been restored for astir 175,000 customers – oregon 12% – by Wednesday.

Hotels were adjacent capacity, with thousands of tourists celebrating Easter vacations connected the island. Tourism officials rushed to reassure them that galore hotels and different businesses were operating with generators.

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"There are nary words that tin easiness the vexation we consciousness arsenic a radical successful the look of different monolithic blackout," Gov. Jenniffer González, who chopped her abrogation abbreviated and flew backmost to Puerto Rico, wrote connected X. "I’m with you due to the fact that the radical of Puerto Rico merit their officials to respond successful times of crisis, and that’s wherefore I’m here."

It was not instantly wide what caused the shutdown, which is the latest successful a drawstring of large blackouts connected the land successful caller years. 

In December, different monolithic blackout near astir 1.3 cardinal successful the acheronian arsenic residents were opening preparations to observe New Year’s Eve. 

Headlights illuminate cobblestone streets successful Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, during an island-wide blackout, Wednesday, April 16, 2025.  (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)

The politician pledged she would cancel the declaration with Luma but noted that portion authorities officials person started analyzing the declaration and uncovering imaginable replacements, it wouldn't beryllium a speedy process.

González besides said that she has requested an in-depth probe into the blackout, noting that officials person already warned determination won't beryllium capable procreation of powerfulness for this summer, erstwhile request peaks.

"Puerto Rico can't beryllium the land wherever the powerfulness goes retired each the time," González said. "We're going to instrumentality action. Let radical person nary doubts."

Officials said 90% of clients would apt person energy 48 to 72 hours aft the blackout occurred.

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The latest blackout has near thousands of Puerto Ricans fuming, with galore renewing their calls that the authorities cancel the declaration with Luma and Genera PR, which oversees procreation of powerfulness connected the island.

Reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny echoed the corporate rage, penning connected X: "When are we going to bash something?"

Dozens of radical were forced to locomotion connected an overpass adjacent to the rails of the accelerated transit strategy that serves the capital, San Juan, portion scores of businesses were forced to close. 

Professional shot and hoops games were canceled arsenic the hum of generators and odor of fume filled the air. Traffic became snarled arsenic constabulary officers were deployed to engaged intersections.

Drivers capable up substance containers astatine a state presumption during an island-wide blackout successful San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)

Those without generators crowded astir market stores and different businesses to bargain crystal crossed Puerto Rico.

The land of 3.2 cardinal residents has a much than 40% poorness rate, and not everyone tin spend star panels oregon generators. 

Roughly 117,000 homes and businesses connected the land person star rooftops. Meanwhile, petroleum-fired powerfulness plants supply 62% of Puerto Rico's power, earthy state 24%, ember 8% and renewables 7%, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

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Daniel Hernández, vice president of operations astatine Genera PR, said astatine a quality league that a disturbance deed the transmission strategy soon aft noon connected Wednesday, during a clip erstwhile the grid is susceptible due to the fact that determination are not galore machines regulating frequence astatine that hour.

Verónica Ferraiuoli, Puerto Rico's acting politician and caput of state, said the White House reached retired to section officials and said they are disposable if needed.

Customers beryllium wrong a edifice lit by battery-powered lanterns during an island-wide powerfulness outage, successful Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, April 16, 2025.  (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)

Pablo José Hernández, Puerto Rico's typical successful Congress, said helium would enactment to guarantee that "Washington understands the existent and urgent concern Puerto Ricans look each day."

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"The electrical grid situation is frustrating, and aft years of blackouts, it feels similar it's going from atrocious to worse," helium said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.