Puerto Rico experienced a total power blackout on Wednesday, 16 April, leaving more than 1.4 million customers without electricity just days before the island begins its Easter celebrations.
LUMA Energy, the private consortium responsible for power transmission and distribution across the U.S. territory, reported that the outage began around 12:40 p.m. local time. The company cited a critical “event” that triggered a failure across the entire grid, resulting in an island-wide disruption.
In an official statement, LUMA said, “This sequence of failures triggered a chain of events that resulted in an island-wide outage. This event once again highlights the fragility of the electrical system, something LUMA has pointed out since the beginning of its operations.”
A preliminary investigation by government officials indicated that the blackout was caused by a malfunction in the transmission system’s protective mechanisms. Additionally, vegetation was discovered on a transmission line between the barrio of Cambalache and the municipality of Manatí, which may have contributed to the incident.
Governor Jenniffer González-Colón described the situation as “unacceptable,” emphasizing the need for urgent improvements to the island’s aging and vulnerable infrastructure. The governor’s office confirmed that work was underway to identify the root cause and prevent further occurrences.
Recovery efforts began later that afternoon. LUMA confirmed that one of the island’s power plants was brought back online by approximately 3:00 p.m., which they described as “a key step toward system recovery.” The company estimates that power could be restored to 90% of customers within 48 to 72 hours.
The outage comes at a critical time for Puerto Rico, where the predominantly Catholic population is preparing for Easter weekend observances. The entire week is traditionally marked by religious ceremonies and family gatherings, many of which are now at risk of disruption.
As restoration work continues, officials are urging residents to remain patient and cautious, particularly with increased risks related to traffic signals, refrigeration, and healthcare needs during the outage.
