Power Outage Hits Puerto Rico Before Easter, Leaving Island in the Dark

• Apr 17, 2025

Puerto Rico faced a major power outage that left the entire island without electricity starting midday Wednesday, just before Easter weekend. The blackout affected 1.4 million customers and left 328,000 people without water. It also disrupted services at the island's main international airport, several hospitals, and hotels full of Easter vacationers.

By Thursday evening, at least 175,000 customers had regained power, which is about 12% of the total affected. However, officials have projected that it will take up to 72 hours to restore electricity to 90% of customers. Despite this, many Puerto Ricans continued to suffer, with widespread outages impacting traffic, businesses, and daily life. Many residents without generators scrambled to find ice and candles to cope with the heat.

Governor Jenniffer González, who returned early from her vacation due to the crisis, expressed frustration over the scale of the outage, calling it a shame for the people of Puerto Rico. This incident marks the second island-wide blackout in less than four months, with the previous one occurring on New Year's Eve. The repeated blackouts have sparked anger among residents, particularly because this one occurred during a holiday period.

The power failure has led to increased calls for the government to cancel its contracts with Luma Energy, the company responsible for the island's power transmission and distribution, and Genera PR, which manages power generation. Governor González promised to address these concerns but noted that resolving such issues would take time.

The blackout has also had a significant economic impact. It is estimated that Puerto Rico loses around $230 million in revenue for every day that the power is out. Small businesses, in particular, are suffering from the disruption, with many unable to operate due to the lack of electricity.

The situation has raised concerns for Puerto Rico's vulnerable populations, especially the elderly and those reliant on medical equipment. Local governments, such as the mayor of Canóvanas, have deployed teams to assist those in need of medical support during the outage.

The cause of the outage remains under investigation, but officials suggest that a disturbance in the transmission system triggered the collapse. Puerto Rico's aging power grid has struggled with maintenance and investment issues for years, and recent hurricanes like Maria and Fiona have further weakened the system.

As the island works to recover, there are growing concerns about Puerto Rico's ability to strengthen its energy infrastructure and avoid future outages.