Puerto Rico’s Blackouts Demand Immediate Energy Action

April’s “Easter Blackout” is now the second island-wide blackout to hit Puerto Rico in four months after a New Year’s Eve blackout.

Puerto Ricans’ concerns over the island's energy resilience are mounting.

Hospitals and community groups are urging faster approval for crucial energy systems, while lawmakers push for new renewable energy targets to reduce fossil fuel dependence by 2050.

However, the island is also grappling with setbacks, including the loss of over $3 million in climate adaptation funding after FEMA terminated its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program.

In This Issue

• Island-wide Blackout Hits Puerto Rico

• Hospitals in Need of Resilient Energy Ahead of Hurricane Season

• 2025 Hurricane Season Forecast

• Puerto Rico Loses Over $3 Million in Project Funding from FEMA

• New Puerto Rico Bill Sets Five-Year Renewable Targets

Island-wide Blackout Hits Puerto Rico: Impact, Response, and Calls for Reform

Puerto Rico experienced another island-wide blackout Wednesday, April 16, that left about 1.4 million people without power and over 400,000 without water. The outage, which struck just before the Easter holiday, caused widespread disruptions: businesses closed, hospitals and the San Juan airport were affected, and traffic ground to a halt due to non-functioning signals.

Cause and Response

A preliminary report from LUMA Energy, submitted to Puerto Rico's Energy Czar, identified multiple protection system failures that caused the blackout. (El Nuevo Dia)

The outage began with a fault on a transmission line between the Cambalache power plant in Arecibo and the Manatí transmission center, reportedly due to vegetation contacting the power line.

Failures in the fault protection systems at Cambalache prevented isolating the fault, triggering shutdowns at major plants like Costa Sur and EcoEléctrica, which led to the entire island losing power.

Energy Czar Josué Colón noted that the transmission line between Cambalache and Manatí will remain out of service while LUMA Energy conducts inspections and repairs.

Public officials are pressing for a review of LUMA's performance, with growing criticism over the reliability of the island’s energy grid. While LUMA has pledged to improve operations, the blackout has reignited debates over privatization and the effectiveness of Puerto Rico’s energy reforms.

Restoration Efforts

Restoration efforts began immediately, prioritizing critical infrastructure such as hospitals and the San Juan airport. By Thursday morning, 41% of customers had power restored. By Friday morning, nearly 99% of customers had their power back on.

However, due to limited generation capacity, some areas may still experience temporary outages as the power system stabilizes.

Public Impact and Frustration

Blackouts in Puerto Rico disrupt access to water because the island’s water systems depend on electricity for pumping and treatment. When power goes out, water supply and treatment facilities can't operate, leaving many without access to water.

The outage forced many residents to rely on generators or find alternative ways to preserve food and stay cool. Those without backup power were hit hardest. This blackout has reignited frustration among the public, who are questioning the long-term reliability of Puerto Rico’s energy infrastructure.

This was the second major outage in just four months, following a similar event on New Year’s Eve. As a result, calls for greater accountability and systemic reforms in Puerto Rico's energy sector are growing louder.

Associated Press

• Power blackout hits all of Puerto Rico as residents prepare for Easter weekend

• Officials demand answers as crews work to restore power after another Puerto Rico blackout

• A look at why an island-wide blackout hit Puerto Rico and what caused it  

• Crews restore power to nearly all customers after island-wide blackout hit Puerto Rico

• Puerto Rico’s government demands answers from energy company after island-wide blackout

Hospitals Urge Faster Approval of Energy Resilience Funding Ahead of Hurricane Season

As Puerto Rico’s hurricane season nears, hospitals and community organizations are sounding the alarm over delays in the final approval from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for critical energy resilience systems. (San Juan Daily Star)

Conditional Investment in Energy Resilience

• In December 2024, the DOE announced up to $365 million in conditional funding for battery storage and backup power systems as part of the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund.

• The funding, still pending final approval, aims to equip nearly 450 health centers, benefiting around 45,000 Puerto Ricans.

Benefits of the Investment

• These systems are projected to prevent 140,000 hours of service interruptions and save over $132 million in operational costs.

• The DOE would cover 90% of each system’s cost.

Priority for Vulnerable Regions

• Hospitals in vulnerable areas, including Puerto Rico’s central mountains, south, and west, would be prioritized for support.

Industry Leaders Call for Urgency

• Frances Berríos, president of the Puerto Rico Electrical Experts Association, stressed the importance of uninterrupted healthcare during hurricanes.

• Carlos Velázquez from the  Interstate Renewable Energy Council emphasized the need for trained personnel who are ready to act once approval comes through.

• Javier Rúa Jovet from the Puerto Rico Solar Energy and Storage Association described these facilities as "energy oases" during power outages.

The main recipients of the funding — Puerto Rico Public Housing Authority, Hispanic Federation, and Dynamic Solar Solutions — are still awaiting final agreement negotiations.

2025 Hurricane Season Forecast

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season (June through November) is expected to be above average, with 19 named storms, 9 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher). (The Weather Channel)

While slightly less active than 2024, this forecast still presents significant risk for coastal regions, including Puerto Rico.

Forecasters attribute the heightened activity to warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, which fuel storm development. Neutral El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions are also expected, reducing atmospheric wind shear and allowing storms to strengthen more easily.

For Puerto Rico, this means a higher likelihood of tropical storms or hurricanes making landfall. With ongoing challenges to the island’s energy resilience and infrastructure the upcoming season highlights the urgency for improved preparedness.

Officials and residents are urged to update emergency plans, stock supplies, and stay informed to minimize the impact of potential storms.

🎉The Latino Newsletter Launches San Juan Bureau!🎉

We're thrilled to celebrate our friends at The Latino Newsletter for the opening of their San Juan Bureau. This initiative marks a significant step in bringing timely and impactful journalism from Puerto Rico to the forefront. (The Latino Newsletter)

Julio Ricardo Varela, the founder and publisher of The Latino Newsletter, has been a trailblazer in Latino media, championing stories that matter to our communities. His leadership has quickly built TLN into a vital platform for insightful reporting and analysis.​

Carlos Berríos Polanco, a talented multimedia journalist from Puerto Rico, will serve as the bureau's correspondent. Carlos's work has spanned climate issues, civil unrest, and political corruption, often focusing on the intersections of race, class, and colonialism. His dedication to shedding light on underreported stories makes him the perfect fit for this new role.​

This collaboration among Julio, Carlos, and columnist Susanne Ramirez de Arellano is set to amplify Puerto Rico's stories with the urgency and depth they deserve. We look forward to the impactful journalism that will emerge from this bureau and the continued growth of The Latino Newsletter's presence in Puerto Rico.​

Puerto Rico Loses Over $3 Million in Climate Adaptation Funding as FEMA Terminates BRIC Program

Puerto Rico is set to lose more than $3 million in climate adaptation funding following the termination of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  (Centro de Periodismo Investigativo)

Termination Impact

• This cut affects all applications from fiscal years 2020-2023 submitted by states and territories.

• FEMA estimates that $882 million will be returned to government coffers due to these cuts.

Projects Affected

• University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez: $1.6 million loss for a landslide education project in the Río Grande de Añasco watershed.

• Office of Permit Management (OGPe): $1.7 million loss for a program to promote building code compliance.

Potential Survivors

• A $2 million initiative from the Office of Management and Budget to train municipalities in mitigation fund management could still survive.

Background

BRIC was designed to help vulnerable infrastructure before disasters strike. Puerto Rico’s COR3 (Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction, and Resilience) had planned to submit nine projects worth more than $258 million this year.

This cut follows a broader shift in climate policy under the Trump administration, where Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem ordered the removal of “climate change” terminology from DHS policies.

Political Silence

The administration of Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González has yet to comment on the cuts.

Puerto Rico House Bill Sets Five-Year Renewable Energy Targets

A new bill introduced by House Government Committee Chairman Víctor Parés Otero requires the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (PREB) to establish five-year renewable energy targets. This move supports Puerto Rico’s goal of eliminating fossil fuels by 2050. (San Juan Daily Star)

Details of the Bill

• Starting in 2025, PREB will submit these targets to the Legislature, along with evidence of all efforts made to responsibly reduce dependence on fossil fuel-derived energy sources until they are fully eliminated.

• The bureau will rely on studies, market data, and other factors to ensure system stability during the transition.

Energy Mix & Cost

• Nearly 93% of Puerto Rico’s electricity comes from fossil fuels: 62% from oil, 24% from natural gas, and 8% from coal, with only 7% generated from renewables (EIA, 2025).

• Puerto Rico spends significantly on fossil fuels due to its reliance on imports, importing almost all its petroleum, natural gas, and coal. This leads to some of the highest per capita energy import costs in the U.S.

• Residents face high electricity costs, averaging 28.76 cents per kWh in January 2025, nearly double the U.S. average of 15.95 cents per kWh

This bill, which amends the Public Policy Act for Energy Diversification (Act 82-2010), aims for a gradual transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050 without disrupting supply or raising costs.

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