Biden Speaks To Governor Of Puerto Rico
President Biden recently spoke with Puerto Rico’s Governor Pedro Pierluisi and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm following a major blackout that left over 1 million Puerto Ricans without power early Tuesday morning. In their conversation, Biden expressed his commitment to providing federal assistance to help restore electricity and aid the recovery process. The White House confirmed that Biden instructed Secretary Granholm to continue coordinating efforts to expedite the power restoration across the island.
While blackouts are not common, Puerto Rico has been plagued with power grid issues since Hurricane Maria in 2017, which left the island’s infrastructure severely damaged. The island’s power grid has struggled to recover, leading to frequent outages that disrupt daily life for residents.
In the wake of the outage, newly elected leaders are stepping forward to address the ongoing challenges. Resident Commissioner-elect Pablo Hernández Rivera, who will represent Puerto Rico in Congress, emphasized that securing reliable energy for the island is a top priority. “Once sworn in, I will work closely with both Congressional leaders and the incoming administration in Puerto Rico to bring real, lasting solutions,” Rivera said in a statement. “Our people deserve a reliable power grid and a brighter future — we will not settle for anything less.”
Luma Energy, the company responsible for Puerto Rico’s electricity grid, reported that by 10:30 p.m. local time, service had been restored to about 42% of the affected population. The company reassured residents that the full restoration would likely take 24 to 48 hours.
This power crisis underscores the ongoing challenges Puerto Rico faces in rebuilding its infrastructure and highlights the need for long-term reforms. The Biden administration’s commitment to providing federal assistance is a welcome step, but it will take significant collaboration and investment to ensure the island’s energy system is both reliable and resilient for the future.
