Puerto Rico blackout leaves 1.4 mln without power and 328,000 without water ahead of Easter

Puerto Rico was paralyzed on Wednesday after a massive power outage affected all 1.4 million customers, including hospitals and the island’s main international airport.

According to Luma Energy, only 12% of customers had power restored by the end of the day, while over 328,000 people also lost access to water.

Hotels operating near full capacity tried to reassure tourists that generators would keep them running during the busy Easter travel period.

Governor Jenniffer González, who immediately flew back from vacation, addressed public frustration:

"There are no words that can ease the frustration we feel as a people in the face of another massive blackout," she wrote on X. "I’m with you because the people of Puerto Rico deserve their officials to respond in times of crisis, and that’s why I’m here."

Contract with Luma under fire as grid failures continue

While the exact cause remains unclear, authorities confirmed that a disturbance in the grid occurred at a vulnerable hour when fewer machines were stabilizing frequency.

Genera PR’s VP of operations, Daniel Hernández, explained that the incident struck around noon, a known weak point in the system.

This is not the first time Puerto Rico has faced a blackout of this scale — in December, nearly 1.3 million were left in the dark right before New Year's.

Governor González promised to terminate the contract with Luma Energy, though she cautioned that finding a new provider would take time:

"Puerto Rico can't be the island where the power goes out all the time. We're going to take action. Let people have no doubts."

Meanwhile, reggaeton star Bad Bunny joined the chorus of criticism, posting on X: "When are we going to do something?"

Streets in San Juan were gridlocked, shops closed, and sports games canceled as the hum of generators filled the air. For the 40% of Puerto Ricans living below the poverty line, affording solar panels or backup generators remains out of reach.

The blackout has reignited urgent calls to overhaul the island’s fragile power infrastructure — before summer demand makes things even worse.