First Hit by Privatization, Puerto Rico in 'Total Blackout' as Fiona Makes Landfall

[cbabe]

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/09/18/first-hit-privatization-puerto-rico-total-blackout-fiona-makes-landfall

First Hit by Privatization, Puerto Rico in 'Total Blackout' as Fiona Makes Landfall

A "total blackout" was reported on the island of Puerto Rico on Sunday as heavy rainfall and powerful winds pounded the island before Hurricane Fiona made landfall just before 4:00 pm local time.

…

It wasn't lost on many that the nation's sole power utility company, LUMA—granted control of the territory's electricity system in a 2020 privatization deal in the wake of Maria's devastation—is the institution now in charge as the entire island has lost power in the face of Fiona.

In July, major protests were organized by Puerto Ricans opposed to LUMA—a joint venture by Canada-based ATCO and Houston-based Quanta Services. Citing increased outages, unreliable service, and higher bills, opponents demanded the 15-year contract with the company be canceled.

As Reuters reported in July, "Power rates have gone up five times since LUMA began operating Puerto Rico's transmission and distribution system on June 1, 2020. The last rate hike, which took effect at the start of July, pushed rates up by 17.1%."

Earlier this month, protests again were again on display in San Juan and elsewhere condemning LUMA.

In a statement on its website Sunday, LUMA said "full power restoration could take several days" and asked for "support and patience" from its customers.

Carmen Yulín Cruz, who was the progressive mayor of San Juan when Maria hit the island in 2017, offered a sobering comment in response to news of the blackout:

"Puerto Rico is 100% without electrical power," she tweeted. "The cycle of death begins."

…more…

[IA8IT]

1. And now they are missing the royal funeral. More people live there than in Iowa

The US needs to make things right there. build a robust public power grid.

[Hortensis]

2. In a very real sense Florida's mainland relations of Americans in Puerto Rico

are their proxy voters, and as a whole they've been letting them down terribly. Same for those in other states, especially southern, like TX.

The island infrastructure could and should be rebuilt and strong by now. And would have been if Democrats had been put in charge in 2016. But in 2016 and again 2020 -- after Hurricane Maria and the citizens of Puerto Rico desperately needed help the Republicans refused, only some mainland voters of Puerto Rican heritage voted to send help.

Of course, most Hispanics who vote, including them, vote Democratic. Thank goodness for those who do, but they were outnumbered by those who refuse to vote at all. And in 2020 30% of the FL PR-Americans who bothered to vote chose tRump/Repubs again, AFTER Maria.

They chose the betrayers, the party that refused and blocked as much aid as they could, while PR continued to suffer.

So, here we are again, PR in trouble and Democrats desperately hoping more mainland relations will vote for the people who WILL help. Voting Democrat just for their own sake would do -- more should be realizing the MAGA threat to them. New compassion or wisdom in those who betrayed isn't possible, but reportedly some Repub voters may actually be offended by the recent political "stunts," so let's hope they're offended enough to get out of the way.

[area51]

3. "... increased outages, unreliable service, and higher bills...."

Not surprisingly, sounds like how things are in Texas with the privatized power grid.

[malaise]

4. The Slobfather's legacy

That is all

[ultralite001]

5. What became of Elon Musk's grand plans for Puerto Rico's power grid???

Did Musk just get bored and move on???

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/elon-musk-tesla-puerto-rico-renewable-energy_n_5ca51e99e4b082d775dfec35


That is all...