What to Know
- The government-owned electric power company in Puerto Rico announced Tuesday that it officially restored power to the entire island
- According to a tweet by the Puerto Rico Power Authority, the utility restored power to its final client in Bo Real Anon, Ponce
- This final power restoration marks an uphill climb for residents of the island, who faced the longest recorded power outage in United States
The government-owned electric power company in Puerto Rico announced Tuesday that it officially restored power to the entire island — almost a year after the power grid was severely impacted by Hurricane Maria.
According to a tweet by the Puerto Rico Power Authority, or Autoridad de Energia Electrica (AEE) as it is known is Spanish, the utility restored power to its final client in Bo Real Anon in the municipality of Ponce.
This final power restoration marks an uphill climb for residents of the island, who faced the longest recorded power outage in United States history — the second worst world-wide.
The island’s terrain also contributed to delaying the efforts, since at times it was difficult for workers to access downed wires due to a mountainous territory.
Hurricane Maria made landfall on the island as a Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 20, 2017, subsequently knocking out power to the entire island and leaving long-lasting damage in its wake.