Puerto Rico's Lights Flicker Back On After Massive Blackout

Puerto Rico is breathing a tentative sigh of relief after an island-wide blackout plunged millions into darkness earlier this week. By Friday, officials said more than 98% of customers had their electricity back—meaning over 1.45 million people were no longer fumbling for flashlights in their own homes.

The company in charge, Luma Energy, moved quickly to restore power in less than 48 hours. Still, the utility warned that some residents could face temporary outages due to what they called "limited generation." It's a gentle reminder that the grid is holding on, but maybe not by much.

Governor Jenniffer González didn't mince words, acknowledging that while the vast majority now have power, more than 21,400 households remained in the dark on Friday for reasons not directly tied to the major blackout. She called the system "insufficient" and "mediocre," voicing frustration that resonates with many Puerto Ricans who are, frankly, tired of living on the edge of a blackout every few months.

In Puerto Rico, it's not unusual for a few thousand people to lose power each week, but this blackout was on a whole different level. At its peak, the outage also left more than 400,000 customers without water—a brutal double whammy for anyone trying to get through the day.

The root of the problem? A transmission line failed Wednesday afternoon, which triggered a protective shutdown of generators across the island. Officials are still investigating, with possible culprits ranging from faulty breakers to overgrown vegetation—because apparently, even the plants are fed up.

Governor González expects a preliminary report in the next few days. Meanwhile, she emphasized that more than 98% of customers also have their water restored. "We have overcome, thank God, a great crisis this week," she said, expressing relief that things are finally returning to normal, at least for now.

Puerto Rico is no stranger to blackouts—this is the second massive outage in under four months, with the last one hitting on New Year’s Eve. For an island that's had more than its fair share of power problems, the hope is that this time, the lights stay on.