More than half of Puerto Rico is without power after Hurricane Ernesto

Juan Saca, the president and CEO of Puerto Rico’s energy company Luma, joins ABC News Live to discuss how his team is helping bring power back to the island.

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[yolandarivera]

He said more prepared then ever, that is not true. The island has power outrages every day. The power grid is very fragile due to lack of maintenance for years and years!

[MMShaggy]

underground power. it has helped keep the power on in Florida. Doesnt matter if you clear vegetation around lines, 140mph winds are going to blow debris all over the place and hit those lines.

[unf]

New energy infrastructure is needed ASAP in Puerto Rico.God bless the people of P.R.

[alspancakeworldpr]

I live in the island, I’m from the island. Juan Saca is not part of this community, he is negligent and incompetent. LUMA should disclose everything they said to have done to fulfill the promises made to the people of Puerto Rico since they started. THIS INFORMATION SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC. Saca is avoidant, dismissive and patronizing.

[EvaRodriguez-idyw]

He keeps saying we are more prepare, i being without power since 2am.

[jayhawker]

The US spent over $3 BILLION restoring Puerto Rico's power after hurricane Maria. $12 BILLION was allocated for building a more permanent and resilient power grid. Very little of that has actually been put to use. What are the Puerto Rican officials (and the US officials who oversee the spending) actually accomplishing for the people of Puerto Rico. It appears to be very little.

[addisperez]

I visited Bayamon in 2016 & the electric went out a lot.
It was so hot 🔥 🥵 .
I enjoyed the beaches ⛱️ & visiting San Juan & all of the beautiful scenery.


I didn't enjoy the blackouts.

[rnrhodes]

Time for Puerto Rico to declare their independence. Build back better on your own two feet.

[Chamis-dtwc]

For fifty years before hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico's power company (Before LUMA) only worked on the Islands power infrastructure in ' cosmetic ' ways to the point that it was only a skeletal infrastructure when Maria hit Puerto Rico. When LUMA took over even the skeleton infrastructure was destroyed. (The local monopolized press were close allies to that other disastrous and corrupt power company & that's why they hate LUMA SO much)

[ventureted]

WHY DO THEY HAVE POWER LINES IN THE AIR???? Bury the lines like every other modern place that has frequent wind storms.

[johnkeller]

That is what happens when Puerto Rico prepares for nothing with power lines around the island that are not maintained well, let alone reinforced to withstand inevitable bad weather. Despite this interview to the contrary, Puerto Rico has third world level quality power barely better than present day South Africa full of horrible corruption on top of good old lack of preparation.

[luishumbertovega]

The only Puerto Rican town that still has electric power is Kissimmee 😂😂

[susannpatton]

So is the United States Virgin Islands
Why does no one remember us????

[YotuelGonzalez]

I'm in Puerto Rico. Like he said, the system is very fragile. Any wind causes interruption in the service. We don’t know why the system is still in this condition. It'll be a good idea to investigate why?

[christiancrespo]

How is it that since beginning operations in 2021, you are now just introducing a project that will clear vegetation around power lines, this seems like basic maintenance issues that should have been a priority from the very beginning, especially since its been a major factor in power outages every time a storm occurs. Puerto Rican citizens are paying 23.77 cents per kwh, 41% more than the average U.S. electricity rate, which is 16.88 cents per kwh and yet LUMA has failed to give the people the reliable service they deserve!

[michellebarrett]

Not again. We not living right yall!!!

[niyantagupta]

Plls cover Indian Kolkata rape case of hospital ..we as an Indian girls want this case to reach the world

[MedisaSanveli]

The government of Puerto Rico should been investing in these old power lines. This is ridiculous, where are the billions sent to your government. 😮

[wendywhite]

that’s exactly what causes most of the outages around me. I’ve noticed that one of the infrastructure improvements in my zone has been the systematic shaving down of high vegetation that is close to power Lines.

[ZZ_Tops_]

I live in CONDADO and so far the power hasn’t left as of this comment