Puerto Rico was hit by another massive power outage Wednesday, leaving the United States territory in the dark for a second time in four months, officials said.
Local power authorities, Genera and LUMA, recorded a system failure at approximately 12:40 p.m. that affected service island-wide.
In a post on X, LUMA Energy said it could take two to three days to restore service to 90% of customers — and that the priority for now is to restore power to critical facilities, such as the Centro Médico hospital in the capital San Juan.
A tourist couple use their phones to light the streets in at Viejo San Juan during a massive power blackout that affected the entire island on April 16, 2025 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The cause of the electricity outage is being investigated after all 1.4 million residents of the island lost power on Wednesday.
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The private power company, which is responsible for power transmission on the island, said the massive outage appears to have been caused by a combination of factors, including a “failure in the protection system as initial trigger” and vegetation on a transmission line between the areas of Campaleche and Manatí, along the northern coast of the island.
“This sequence of failures triggered a chain of events that resulted in an island-wide outage,” LUMA said in the statement.
People have dinner at chinese restaurant Santurce during a massive power blackout that affected the entire island on April 16, 2025 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The cause of the electricity outage is being investigated after all 1.4 million residents of the island lost power on Wednesday.
Jose Jimenez/Getty Images
The outage affected 1.4 million customers of LUMA Energy, impacting 76% of its customer base, the company said.
“This event once again highlights the fragility of the electrical system, something LUMA has pointed out since the beginning of its operations,” the company said in the statement. “We remain committed to transforming it into a safer and more reliable system for all customers in Puerto Rico.”
Cars drive along the Ramon Baldorioty de Castro highway affected by a massive power blackout affected the entire island on April 16, 2025 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The cause of the electricity outage is being investigated after all 1.4 million residents of the island lost power on Wednesday.
Jose Jimenez/Getty Images
Earlier in the day, LUMA Energy said the Palo Seco plant, located just outside San Juan, came back online around 3 p.m., “which represents a key step toward system recovery.”
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) claimed in a social media post that over 400,000 Puerto Ricans were without electricity.
In this photo posted to social media, people get off the train and walk in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after a blackout occurred on April 16, 2025.
@gianndelrey/X
“The three million American citizens of Puerto Rico have long been denied affordable and reliable electricity—despite paying some of the highest utility rates in the United States,” Torres said. “Access to dependable power—a basic right most Americans take for granted—remains out of reach for millions on the island. As we speak, more than 400,000 Puerto Ricans are without electricity in the wealthiest nation on Earth. That is a national disgrace.”
This outage is the latest in a series of significant blackouts that have plagued the island in recent years, following the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017, which destroyed much of the power grid. Gov. Jenniffer González, who was traveling, stated that officials were “working diligently” to resolve the outage.
In this Dec. 31, 2024, file photo, residential buildings and a hotel are seen in the dark in San Juan, Puerto Rico after a major power outage hit the island.
Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images, FILE
The island’s aging power infrastructure has been a persistent source of frustration for residents, who face frequent outages and some of the highest electricity rates in the U.S.
In this Oct. 15, 2021, file photo, protesters march during a demonstration against LUMA Energy in what organizers called All of Puerto Rico Against LUMA, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Thousands marched to the Las Americas Expressway (PR52) to voice their displeasure with the private company.
Angel Valentin/Getty Images, FILE
In December, Puerto Rico experienced an island-wide blackout on New Year’s Eve when an underground power line failure plunged the island into darkness for two days.
Power outages have become so common in Puerto Rico that many residents have installed solar panels and batteries in their homes and businesses. The ongoing instability of the power grid has also led to protests, with many criticizing LUMA, which took over power transmission and distribution in 2021.
ABC News’ Jack Moore contributed to this report.
