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Massive power outage in Puerto Rico, govenor Jenniffer González slammed for being ‘missing in action’
The island-wide outage hit Puerto Rico on Wednesday as the US territory, home to a predominantly Catholic population, was preparing for Easter weekend.
Jenniffer González, governor of Puerto Rico, is facing criticism for being “missing in action” during a major power outage that struck the island just months after a similar blackout occurred on New Year’s Eve. The latest island-wide outage hit on Wednesday as the US territory, home to a predominantly Catholic population, was preparing for Easter weekend.
The exact cause of the outage was not immediately known, marking yet another incident in a series of blackouts over recent years. Governor González, who was away at the time, said authorities were “working diligently” to resolve the crisis.
Frustrated residents expressed outrage over the failure, with many once again urging the government to revoke contracts with Luma Energy and Genera PR, the companies in charge of the island’s power generation and distribution.
Many users on X criticised Jenniffer González for being on “vacation” during a massive blackout, accusing her of being “missing in action.”
One user posted, “Jennifer Gonzalez is supposedly on vacation. She's supposedly the governor. 100 x 0 = 0,” while sharing the press briefing by interim governor Verónica Ferraiuoli.
Puerto Rico’s Energy Czar, Josue Colon, said that the issue seemed to have stemmed from a fault in a transmission line, which likely activated safety protocols that shut down all power plants. He added that full restoration of electricity across the island may not happen before Thursday. As of 4:20 p.m. local time, over 1.1 million out of 1.5 million customers were still without power, according to Luma Energy.
Interim Governor Verónica Ferraiuoli, who is also the Secretary of State, assured that “the airport and hotel association had reported no major disruptions” and said most of the island’s tourist infrastructure was currently relying on generators.
White House reaches out
Verónica Ferraiuoli said the White House had contacted local officials and offered assistance if needed.
Puerto Rico's congressional representative, Pablo José Hernández, stated he would ensure “Washington understands the real and urgent situation Puerto Ricans face every day.” He added, “The electric grid crisis is frustrating, and after years of blackouts, it feels like it’s going from bad to worse.”
Hugo Sorrentini, spokesperson for Luma Energy, told The Associated Press that all 1.4 million clients across the island were without power. “The entire island is without generation,” he said.
Hotels were reportedly near full capacity with thousands of tourists on the island for Easter celebrations.
At the same time, over 78,000 clients were also without water, and officials warned that restoring full electricity might take another 48 to 72 hours.
Puerto Rico has been grappling with frequent blackouts since Hurricane Maria devastated the island in September 2017. The Category 4 storm crippled the aging power grid, which had already been suffering from decades of underinvestment and poor maintenance, and crews are still working to rebuild it.
‘Not everyone can afford solar panels or generators’
According to the Associated Press, over 40% of Puerto Rico’s 3.2 million residents live in poverty, and many cannot afford solar panels or generators. While the administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden had promoted renewable energy by providing the island with large generators and other aid, experts are concerned that such support may not continue under President Donald Trump.
Currently, about 117,000 homes and businesses in Puerto Rico have rooftop solar systems. The island’s power supply is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels—62% from petroleum-based plants, 24% from natural gas, 8% from coal, and only 7% from renewable sources, as per the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
At a press briefing, Daniel Hernández, vice president of operations at Genera PR, explained that a disruption struck the transmission system shortly after noon on Wednesday, a time when the power grid is particularly fragile due to fewer machines actively regulating frequency.
(With inputs from Associated Press inputs)
