Puerto Rico: Power outages continue islandwide as of evening of Dec. 31 /update 2

A major islandwide power outage continues to affect Puerto Rico as of the evening of Dec. 31, and disruptions are likely through at least Jan. 2. According to Luma Energy, which provides the island's electricity, as of 18:30 Dec. 31, power had been restored to 32 percent of customers in Bayamon Region and 26 percent of customers in San Juan region; almost all other customers on the island, who represent over 85 percent of the population, remained without electricity. While authorities have not provided a timeline on when other regions will see power restored, following the initial outage early Dec. 31, Luma Energy said that the full restoration of electricity would take 24-48 hours.

Lingering business and transit disruptions are likely to last even beyond the full restoration of power, as companies will need to clear backlogs, and people will likely resume travel and shopping en masse. Disruptions to telecommunications, including mobile SMS, voice, and internet services, are highly likely to affect large swaths of the country until significant progress is made in restoring electricity.

Some essential services, such as ATMs and gas stations, are likely to be unavailable. Road transport disruptions will probably affect areas with malfunctioning traffic signals. The Tren Urbano light rail system, which serves the greater San Juan metropolitan area, has suspended operations until further notice. The Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU), which serves San Juan, is operating on electricity provided by generators, and flights to and from the airport continue uninterrupted.

Blackouts could additionally adversely affect security protocols, including alarm systems and electronic fences. Opportunistic criminal activity could increase during the night due to the lack of street lights. An increased police presence is likely throughout the outage.