**Chaos Strikes as Puerto Rico Faces Widespread Blackout on New Year's Eve**
Puerto Rico plunged into darkness on New Year's Eve, leaving over 1.3 million residents without power.
The outage, caused by an underground cable failure, laid bare the island's ongoing struggles with its aging electric grid.
LUMA Energy reported that the issues began early in the morning, and efforts to restore power were still underway in the afternoon.
Despite the company's claims of a phased restoration, only a small fraction of residents saw their electricity returned hours later.
Frustrations ran high among the population, with many citizens expressing disbelief over the frequent power failures that disrupt everyday life.
“If we can’t have reliable power, how can we expect to attract new businesses or keep our economy moving?” questioned Miosotis Corretjer, a frustrated San Juan resident.
The situation has exacerbated sentiments against LUMA, the private energy company managing Puerto Rico's power.
Calls for accountability from both local authorities and the energy company have intensified, with incoming governor Jenniffer González pledging to prioritize the stabilization of the island's energy grid.
González, known for her robust Republican values, has proposed a shift in energy policy.
She advocates moving away from overly ambitious renewable energy targets, arguing that the Commonwealth's laws mandating 100% renewable energy by 2050 are not only unrealistic but detrimental to the economy.
“Our energy policy needs to reflect the needs of our people, and we must diversify our energy sources,” González stated.
Her pragmatic approach aims to embrace fossil fuels, specifically liquefied natural gas, as a more reliable alternative to unreliable green energy systems.
With Puerto Rico's electrical grid still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017, the time for reform is not just critical but also urgent.
As the island grapples with power outages that have become all too routine, González's common-sense strategy could signal a new direction for Puerto Rico's energy future.
The road ahead remains challenging, but with a clear commitment to addressing these systemic issues, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon for island residents who desperately seek reliable power.
Sources:
nbcnews.comfrontpagemag.com