Despite some areas regaining power, including San Juan’s municipal hospital, the incident has reignited longstanding frustrations regarding Puerto Rico’s unstable electrical system, further exacerbated by the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017. Jenniffer González-Colon, the island’s US congressional representative, voiced her concerns on social media, highlighting that the continuing failures of the energy system are unacceptable and detrimental to the island's economy and quality of life.
Governor Pedro Pierluisi echoed the urgency for comprehensive solutions, demanding accountability from Luma and Genera, the major power companies involved. The recent blackout is not an isolated incident; hundreds of thousands of residents have faced similar outages throughout the year, including a significant June blackout that left approximately 350,000 people in the dark during a heatwave.
Residents are increasingly vocal about their frustrations, questioning the reliability of an energy system that once again failed. The Island's power grid was already in disrepair before the catastrophic hurricane and has seen little improvement despite federal funding aimed at recovery. A report from the US Government Accountability Office suggests that slow implementation and regulatory hurdles have stalled necessary infrastructure projects.
Mark Levine, the Manhattan borough president, emphasized the need for a robust energy solution for the 3.5 million American citizens from Puerto Rico, stating that "we owe them so much better." As the island continues to battle power instability, the demand for effective energy reform has never been clearer.
Governor Pedro Pierluisi echoed the urgency for comprehensive solutions, demanding accountability from Luma and Genera, the major power companies involved. The recent blackout is not an isolated incident; hundreds of thousands of residents have faced similar outages throughout the year, including a significant June blackout that left approximately 350,000 people in the dark during a heatwave.
Residents are increasingly vocal about their frustrations, questioning the reliability of an energy system that once again failed. The Island's power grid was already in disrepair before the catastrophic hurricane and has seen little improvement despite federal funding aimed at recovery. A report from the US Government Accountability Office suggests that slow implementation and regulatory hurdles have stalled necessary infrastructure projects.
Mark Levine, the Manhattan borough president, emphasized the need for a robust energy solution for the 3.5 million American citizens from Puerto Rico, stating that "we owe them so much better." As the island continues to battle power instability, the demand for effective energy reform has never been clearer.
