Energy securityBoosting Energy Security: Lessons from Post-Hurricane Maria Puerto Rico

By Mariela Santos-Muñiz

Published 5 September 2019

It took nearly a year for the government-run Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), which is the only power company in Puerto Rico, to restore electricity throughout the island. This was the biggest and longest power outage in U.S. history.As scientists suggest that weather will probably become more extreme and weather-related natural disasters are likely to intensify in the coming decades,we can learn some valuable lessons from what Puerto Rico has gone through in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

After Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico in September 2017, one of the first things I saw outside were my neighbors working together to clear the streets of fallen trees and debris. It was difficult to see the damage and not feel an immense sense of sadness. Like others throughout the U.S. territory, only those with functioning generators had electricity, and no one could contact family members because the lines of communication we down. Those of us without generators couldn’t refrigerate our food, light our homes or use our bathrooms in a normal way.

According to official estimates, some 3,000 people died as a result of the devastating event. Running water became inaccessible in many homes. Roads were blocked. Across the island, power lines were downed, and power plants suffered significant damages, shutting down communications systems, traffic lights and hospitals, among other vital resources in day-to-day life.

It took nearly a year for the government-run Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA, also known as Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica or AEE), which is the only power company in Puerto Rico, to restore electricity throughout the island. This was the biggest and longest power outage in U.S. history.

As scientists suggest that weather will probably become more extreme and weather-related natural disasters are likely to intensify in the coming decades, preparing energy systems for — and helping them recover from — weather-related disasters is an increasingly important topic. In the case of hurricanes, we can learn some valuable lessons from what Puerto Rico has gone through in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Lesson 1: Maintain Infrastructure
Imported fossil fuels meet approximately three-quarters of Puerto Rico’s energy demand, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Puerto Rico’s electrical system is highly centralized, according to Lionel Orama-Exclusa, an engineering professor at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) Mayagüez campus and committee member of El Instituto Nacional de Energía y Sostenibilidad Isleña. The institute brings together experts across disciplines and campuses within the University of Puerto Rico system to address energy policy and sustainability.