The daily lives of Puerto Rican residents now include the constant operation of generators, which produce noise as well as harmful gases, and the use of candles to provide light. The island continues to face frequent power outages, while the electrical system requires maintenance, and electricity costs continue to rise. These issues stem from two main factors: technological limitations and political decisions, such as delays in infrastructure repairs, mismanagement of funds, and inconsistent energy policies that directly affect how the system operates. As a result, communities are left in an unpredictable situation where daily life is constantly disrupted. This instability has also led many residents to seek more reliable and sustainable energy alternatives that can function effectively and provide long-term solutions. These challenges are experienced differently across generations, particularly among younger residents whose education and daily routines are directly affected.
For instance, power failures in the center of the island have disrupted the daily schedule of my sixteen-year-old sister, Amarilis Irizarry Vargas, and other young people who live across the island. She explained that schools lose their water supply during power outages, which consequently prevents students from eating in their school cafeterias. It also limits their ability to use the bathroom and maintain basic hygiene during the school day. The school schedule then experiences delays, which makes it hard for students to meet their schoolwork deadlines. Amarilis noted that she must finish work by hand before she can transfer it to a computer, creating additional challenges. At times, she used her grandmother’s encyclopedia collection to finish her schoolwork during outages that lasted several days. She also explained that political conflicts between political parties continue to create more problems because the government should support all citizens rather than serving individual political interests. Amarilis acknowledged that the electrical infrastructure, including power lines, substations, and generation systems, was already damaged. She also noted that while LUMA currently performs service interruptions, electricity used to go out more often before the company arrived. “The present infrastructure damage will continue to cause problems even if leadership changes take place,” she explained.
The older generation’s perspective was reflected through my forty-five-year-old mother, Gretchen Vargas, who described how power outages have created major disruptions in both her professional duties and domestic responsibilities. “The internet connection disappears when the power goes out, which disables work systems, so I must perform my duties by hand until I can submit my work after power restoration.” She added that if her laptop battery runs out, she must search for places such as workplaces, relatives’ homes, or malls to charge it. “Power failures also create communication problems at home because the signal is lost, and water distribution is affected since the water pump needs electricity to function,” Gretchen explained that the situation has forced her to spend large amounts of money on gasoline and solar lamps that include rechargeable lighting for emergency preparation. She expressed concern that many families lack the money to buy generators and fuel, especially those in middle and lower-income groups.
According to Gretchen, service response has improved, but the electrical system is still damaged. She explained that power outages used to extend for days, weeks, and even months, but now LUMA restores power more quickly. However, she stated that these improvements fail to address the main issue. They only offer short-term fixes for an outdated electrical system. Gretchen proposed that Puerto Rico should explore reorganizing its electrical grid by dividing the island into operational regions to decrease the load on a single provider. She concluded that political leaders must share blame for the current circumstances because terminating the contract with LUMA without infrastructure development would create new problems instead of solutions.
On another note, José Rodríguez Soba brought his viewpoint as a veteran, explaining how electricity and politics have remained connected throughout Puerto Rico’s history. “The island’s electrical system was not necessarily better before, but I believe it is improving over time.” He explained that infrastructure declined because political and administrative decisions directed funds toward daily operations, instead of maintaining necessary equipment, such as transformers, poles, and wiring. As a result, emergency response capability remained weak due to limited inventory. The island faced major events, including Hurricanes Irma and María, earthquakes, and the COVID-19 pandemic, while lacking enough resources for proper emergency responses. Rodríguez Soba shared his personal experience of spending around $7,000 on fuel during Hurricane María after being left without electricity for several months. He added that many families could not afford generators, and he personally helped hundreds of households communicate with relatives using his communication equipment as a veteran.
According to Rodríguez Soba, the situation has improved compared to the past. He highlights that outages occur less frequently and that there is currently more equipment in stock, including poles, cables, and generators, than ever before in history. He also explained that many interruptions are scheduled to allow infrastructure improvements rather than being simply unexpected failures. He also noted that external factors, such as global fuel prices, influence electricity costs. Rodríguez Soba concluded that Puerto Rico will need many years to rebuild and modernize its electrical system and emphasized the importance of preparedness, given the island’s vulnerability to storms and natural disasters.
Every generation approaches the electricity crisis differently, yet they all experience the same basic worries about this emergency. Power outages at schools like Amarilis’s have created academic setbacks that make students uncertain about their educational prospects across the island. The students must complete their assignments manually due to challenges with unreliable electricity. They must also handle restricted resources when they can’t get online. On the other hand, Gretchen revealed the financial expenses together with professional obstacles her work demands, explaining that outages force her to spend money on fuel, generator maintenance, and emergency lighting systems while also disrupting communication and water supply at home. The extended blackouts required her to manage her work duties while she also took care of her domestic responsibilities. Lastly, Rodríguez Soba analyzed how political choices from past times affected the deterioration of the infrastructure. Nonetheless, he identified improved response speed and better availability of equipment. He pointed out that power outages have become less common because the company now maintains an expanded stock of equipment components.
The three participants have different opinions, but they all agree that political decisions create the conditions that affect the current situation. The investigation showed that Puerto Rico needs ongoing monetary support. Its electrical network needs better planning, and various organizations must unite to build a dependable power supply that will serve upcoming generations. With that said, the island’s destiny depends on three essential elements: government decisions regarding infrastructure investment, energy policy and resource management, sustainable funding, and collaborative efforts between various stakeholders. Until meaningful changes are made, communities will continue adapting while hoping for lasting solutions.