San -Kuan, Puerto – Scrolls worked at the beginning of Thursday to restore the food in Puerto -Rica after darkening across the island, affected by the main international airport, several hospitals and hotels filled with Easter vacation
The shutdown, which started on Wednesday, left 1.4 million customers without electricity and 328,000 without water.
At least 175,000 customers, or 12%, gained power at the end of the day. Officials expected 90% of customers to receive electricity within 48 to 72 hours after disconnect.
Jose Himenez / Getti Image 
“This is a shame for Puerto -Rican people that we have a problem of this scale,” said Governor Jennifer Gonzalez, who reduced her weekly vacation and returned to Puerto -Rika on Wednesday night.
The traffic was obscured, forcing hundreds of enterprises to close and left those who could not afford the generators to buy ice and candles.
This is the second darkening on the island that hit Puerto Rico in less than four months, with Previous that took place on the eve of the New Year.
“Why on the holidays?” He grabbed Jose Luis Richardson, who had no generator and cool, splashing water every couple of hours.
Jose Himenez / Getti Image 
Indignation about the shutdown is growing
The piles of the generators and the smell of the couple filled the air as an increasing number of updated Puertoks calls the government to cancel contracts with Luma Energywhich controls the transfer and distribution of power, and the PR delivery that controls the generation.
Gonzalez promised to listen to these calls.
“It is not in doubt and questions,” she said, but added that it was not a quick process. “It is unacceptable that we have this kind.”
Gonzalez said that a major shutdown as the one that occurred on Wednesday leads to approximately $ 230 million in revenue loss daily.
Ramon K. Barkin III, president of the Joint Retail Center, a non-profit organization representing small and medium-sized businesses, warned that constant shutdowns would be frightened by potential investors at the time that Puerto Rico urgently requires economic development.
“We cannot continue to repeat this shutdown cycle without taking specific measures to strengthen our energy infrastructure,” he said.
Many of them were concerned about the elderly Puerto -Rikan population, and the mayor of Kanova unfolded brigades to visit boats and those who depend on electronic medical equipment.
Meanwhile, Vega Alto Mayor opened the center to ensure power to those who have rescue medical equipment.
The reason for the last darkening that is being investigated
It was not immediately clear that it caused the shutdown, the latter in the line of large shutdown on the island in recent years.
Daniel Hernandez, Vice -President of Genera PR operations, said on Wednesday that the violation was transferred shortly after noon, when the network is vulnerable because there are few frequency cars at this hour.
The network on the island is deteriorating as a result of decades of lack of maintenance and investment.
Puerto -Rica has struggled with chronic shutdown since September 2017 When Hurricane Mary threw the island As a powerful storm category 4, destroying the power grid that crews are still fighting for restoration. Since the island was just starting to recover, its again struck Hurricane Fiona in 2022.
The island of 3.2 million residents has more than 40% of poverty, and not everyone can afford solar panels and generators. Although there was an impetus to use more renewable energy sources under former US President Joe Biden who provided Puerto -Rica with mega -generators And other resources, experts are worried that the US President Donald Trump will not happen.