Puerto Rico Plunged Into Island-Wide Blackout Just Before Easter Festivities

Puerto Rico was hit with a sweeping island-wide blackout Wednesday, just as residents and thousands of tourists were gearing up for Easter weekend celebrations.

Luma Energy, the company responsible for power transmission and distribution in the U.S. territory, confirmed that all of its 1.4 million customers lost electricity. The outage even covered the main international airport and several hospitals. At least 328,000 customers also found themselves without water.

By Wednesday night, only about 175,000 customers – a mere 12% – had their lights back on. Considering the timing, with hotels packed thanks to Easter vacationers, the scramble was on. Tourism officials tried to reassure visitors by highlighting that most hotels and businesses were running on generators, which is both comforting and a little dystopian.

Governor Jenniffer González, cutting her holiday short, returned to Puerto Rico and voiced her frustration on social media. She pledged to stand with residents and lead the response, stating, "There are no words that can ease the frustration we feel as a people in the face of another massive blackout."

The cause of the blackout wasn’t immediately clear, but this is part of a troubling pattern. Just this past December, nearly 1.3 million people were left in the dark right before New Year's Eve. González promised to cancel the contract with Luma, but warned that replacing the company would be no quick fix. She’s also requested an in-depth investigation, especially as officials admit there won’t be enough power this summer when demand spikes.

Officials estimate that 90% of customers could have electricity restored within 48 to 72 hours after the blackout. Still, the outage has sparked widespread anger, with many calling for the government to drop contracts with both Luma and Genera PR, which manages power generation.

Even reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny chimed in, channeling the collective frustration by asking, "When are we going to do something?" on social media. For many Puerto Ricans, the blackout meant walking along overpasses outside the rapid transit system, businesses shuttering, and sporting events being canceled. The hum of generators and the smell of smoke became the new soundtrack and scent of San Juan.

People without generators crowded grocery stores and businesses to buy ice, highlighting the reality that with a 40% poverty rate, not everyone on the island can afford backup power or solar panels. Only around 117,000 homes and businesses have solar rooftops. The island’s power grid still relies heavily on petroleum (62%), with natural gas, coal, and renewables lagging far behind.

According to Daniel Hernández, vice president of operations at Genera PR, a "disturbance" hit the transmission system shortly after noon Wednesday, a time when the grid was especially fragile. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico's acting governor said the White House has reached out and is ready to help if needed.

Pablo José Hernández, Puerto Rico's representative in Congress, said he’s working to make sure Washington understands how urgent and chronic the energy crisis really is. "The electric grid crisis is frustrating, and after years of blackouts, it feels like it's going from bad to worse," he said.