Following a widespread power outage that hit Puerto Rico last week, local officials are awaiting a detailed explanation from Luma Energy, the private company responsible for transmitting and distributing electricity across the U.S. territory. The blackout, which began on April 16, affected approximately 1.4 million customers and left more than 400,000 other residents without access to water.
How are officials addressing the aftermath of the blackout?
Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón, R, stated that Puerto Rico currently has no backup power generation capability and is urging the public to reduce energy usage in the wake of this incident. González-Colón has also announced the formation of two new subcommittees tasked with determining what actions should be taken against Luma Energy as a result of this incident.
Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
One of the recently formed subcommittees will assist in auditing the company’s contract with the island, while the other will begin identifying potential replacement power providers should Puerto Rico decide to end its agreement with Luma.
When asked whether this outage alone could justify terminating the company’s contract, González-Colón said Luma had marketed itself to the government as an expert but “the perception of expertise has proven to be false.”
How has Luma responded to the outage?
In a statement, Luma Energy said it remains focused on rebuilding Puerto Rico’s power grid and fulfilling its contractual responsibilities. The company has been given five days to explain why the transmission line failed, and to clarify whether routine inspections had been properly conducted.
“We remain committed to transparency and will continue to inform our customers and the public as soon as we have confirmed information,” Luma said.
What may have caused this blackout?
According to The Associated Press, a preliminary report from Luma indicates that the failure may have been caused by overgrown vegetation. However, authorities have also pointed to the failure of protective equipment as a contributing factor. Authorities described the incident as a “cascade event” that resulted in the collapse of the transmission system.
What happens next?
In addition to Luma’s internal review, the Puerto Rican government has launched its own independent investigation to compare findings with the company’s report.
Luma said it is continuing to monitor the territory’s electrical grid in accordance with industry standards and will share additional information as it becomes available.
