“While the vast majority of clients power was restored, risk of intermittent power shutdowns can occur like a complex process of full recovery is ongoing,” the municipal service said.
The outage began with an island-wide power outage that closed schools and courts. for days and caused other breaks for 3.2 million people live in the United States.
However, power The company urged customers to save electricity when possible to help reduce demand and help full restoration.
The massive outage began around 8:45 pm on Wednesday, when an unspecified failure Led to fire at the Costa Sur substation, said Kevin Acevedo, Vice President of LUMA Energy. Firefighters have since extinguished the blaze at the facility. outside city of Guayanilla on southwest coast.
Initially, all customers lost power “because all the power units have shut down,” said Josue Colon, the head of the island. lead telecommunications and infrastructure engineer.
Schools all over the island also canceled classes for pupils on Thursday and Friday, although directors, watchmen and school canteen workers were ordered to report work This was announced on Friday by the island’s Department of Education.
By Thursday afternoon, all hospitals were open either through power repairs or generators, secretary of Interior Noelia Garcia Bardales said.
Cause of fire is under investigation
When the light is turning on in rest homes and business, little is known about what caused in fire who plunged the island into darkness.
“Each individual (piece of) equipment (at the switchgear of the plant) must be checked and tested in order to sure what when it back in service, we can restore power for customers safely and securely,” Shai Bahramirad, LUMA Energy senior vice president of engineering and asset leadership, told reporters on Friday in San Juan.
The utility said on Thursday that the “massive power outage across the island” could be “caused circuit breaker failure”at the Costa Sur plant.
Acevedo, Vice President of LUMA, said: cause of in fire remains is under investigation, noting that equipment was up meet on maintenance inspections.
Spare parts for in power plant was ordered and clean-up work was underway, Acevedo added.
Jason Hanna of CNN, Rafi Rivera and Michelle Watson contributed to this report.
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