Puerto Rico: At Least 900,000 People Without Electricity After Hurricane Ernesto

San Juan, Puerto Rico, Aug 2024, Photo: EFE

August 15, 2024 Hour: 8:27 pm

LUMA Energy detailed that about 470,144 customers or subscribers were without electricity, according to the report of 08H05 (local time).

The Puerto Rico Emergency Operations Center, LUMA, activated this Thursday its restoration process to attend the impacts of tropical storm Ernesto, become a hurricane, because at least 900,000 people in Puerto Rico still lack electricity service.

LUMA Energy detailed that about 470,144 customers or subscribers were without electricity, according to the report of 08H05 (local time, 12:05 GMT).

The company added that the figure represents 31.9 percent of total customers.

The chairman and chief executive officer of LUMA, Juan Saca, said that “LUMA has worked and will continue to work 24 hours a day to assess damage, reenergize affected portions of the power grid and restore electrical service to affected customers”.

MANTENTE SEGURO DURANTE UNA EMERGENCIA: Recuerda que las líneas eléctricas caídas aún pueden estar energizadas y suponer un riesgo para la seguridad. Sigue siempre estas importantes sugerencias de seguridad:
-Reporta las líneas eléctricas caídas o colgantes al 1-844-888-LUMA… pic.twitter.com/uTnjcjGhuA
— LUMA Puerto Rico (@lumaenergypr) August 15, 2024

STAY SAFE DURING AN EMERGENCY: Remember that downed power lines may still be energized and pose a safety risk. Always follow these important safety tips: -Report downed or hanging power lines to 1-844-888-LUMA (5862). -Do not open the doors or get out of your vehicle if a line comes into contact with it. -Before attempting to exit your vehicle, call 9-1-1 and wait for emergency services or our crews to arrive.

In this regard, he reported that the LUMA Brigades repaired the 38 kilovot line in the Caguas region to power two substations in San Lorenzo and arrived at Vieques and Culebra to attend to the situations in the substations.

They also repaired the 13,200-volt line on highway 174, intersection with highway 830, in the Guaraguao neighborhood of Bayamón.

The company recorded that the region of Caguas is the most damaged with 129,423 customers without electricity, followed by Mayagüez (119,369), Carolina (95,478), Ponce (72,748), Arecibo (20,245), San Juan (18,801) and Bayamón (12,720).

“Our staff is prepared and equipped to start repairs in the affected areas,” the company reported on social network X.