Nationwide Power Blackout Strikes Puerto Rico Ahead of Easter Weekend Festivities
Puerto Rico was plunged into darkness Thursday night following a sweeping power blackout that left the entire island without electricity, just as residents were making final preparations for the busy Easter weekend. The outage, which officials attributed to a failure at one of the island’s main power plants, disrupted businesses, halted transportation, and sparked frustration among millions preparing for religious observances and holiday celebrations.
According to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) and LUMA Energy—the private company managing power transmission—the blackout was triggered by a fault at a key substation that caused cascading failures throughout the grid. The outage affected all 78 municipalities on the island, including the capital, San Juan.
Officials said emergency crews were dispatched immediately to restore power, prioritizing hospitals, emergency services, and critical infrastructure. As of early Friday morning, limited progress had been made, with portions of the metro area regaining electricity. However, many rural communities remained in the dark.
“This is an unacceptable failure, especially at a time when families are coming together to celebrate Easter,” said Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi in a statement. He called on LUMA Energy and PREPA to expedite restoration efforts and provide transparent updates to the public. “The people of Puerto Rico deserve better. The system must be stabilized once and for all.”
The blackout reignited widespread criticism over the island’s fragile and aging power infrastructure, which has struggled to recover from Hurricane Maria in 2017 and subsequent storms. Frequent outages, voltage fluctuations, and service interruptions have become a part of daily life for many Puerto Ricans, despite billions of dollars in federal aid allocated for grid modernization.
Social media was flooded with images and videos showing candlelit church services, long gas station lines, and residents scrambling to purchase batteries, ice, and generator fuel. For many, the outage not only disrupted Easter plans but also revived painful memories of past disasters.
Local businesses, especially those in the hospitality and food industries, voiced concerns about losses during what is typically a high-revenue weekend. Restaurants, hotels, and beach resorts, many of which were already operating at full capacity for the holiday, were forced to shut down or limit services.
LUMA Energy issued a statement apologizing for the inconvenience and assuring residents that engineers were working around the clock to restore full service. “We understand the critical nature of this holiday weekend and are doing everything possible to bring power back swiftly and safely,” the company said.
As Puerto Rico enters one of the most spiritually and culturally significant weekends of the year, residents remain hopeful that the power will be restored in time for Good Friday processions, Easter vigils, and family gatherings. Still, the blackout serves as a stark reminder of the island’s ongoing infrastructure challenges—and the urgent need for long-term solutions.
Source : Swifteradio.com
