Approximately 58% of Puerto Rico has had power restored after an island-wide blackout, with current generation at 1,439MW and 31 generation units online. The blackout was reportedly triggered by a protection system failure and vegetation on a transmission line. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright expressed support for Puerto Rico’s power restoration efforts, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to reliable energy. Governor Jenniffer González-Colón stressed the need for a modern and reliable grid to prevent revenue losses of around $230 million per day during outages.

The blackout, a recurrent issue in Puerto Rico due to grid vulnerabilities post-Hurricane Maria, drew criticism from business organizations like the United Retail Center for its economic impact. Passengers stranded on trains and residents like Dorca Navarrete, who suffered the heat without power, highlighted the disruption caused by the outage. Luma Energy, tasked with investigating the blackout’s cause, aims to address the system’s fragility.

As stakeholders work towards restoring stability to Puerto Rico’s grid, the island faces the challenge of preventing future blackouts and ensuring a reliable energy supply. The incident underscores the importance of strengthening the energy infrastructure to safeguard against widespread outages and their detrimental effects on residents and businesses.