Update: At least 200,000 customers are without power, and the terminals at San Juan Airport are also without power at this time.
En estos momentos en fuego la subestación 230 de Costa Sur en Peñuelas. @NotiUno @noticel pic.twitter.com/ve4ZiVtMav
— Nelson Cruz Senador (@SenadorCruz) April 7, 2022
Widespread reports are coming in of an almost complete power outage on the island of Puerto Rico after a reported failure at the Costa Sur electrical plant on the Southwest side of the island.
Reports coming in of blackouts in San Juan, Luqillo, and Bayamon.
There has also been a report of an explosion at the Costa Sur station.
In early 2020, the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that hit Puerto Rico significantly damaged the island’s two largest power plants, Costa Sur and EcoEléctrica. The earthquake caused widespread power outages and shifted Puerto Rico’s electricity generation energy mix to a higher reliance on petroleum, as the two damaged power plants primarily used natural gas for electricity generation. Costa Sur, an 820-megawatt (MW) fuel oil and natural gas power station operated by Puerto Rico Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica, is the largest power plant in Puerto Rico and represents 57% of the island’s natural gas-fired electricity generating capacity. It is unclear at this time what the damage to the plant is and what long-term effects it will have on the island.
