You may remember back in 2018, when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, devastating the island and its infrastructure. And you may remember when in January 2020, the people of Puerto Rico suffered again after being hit by a violent earthquake. Needless to say, the island has been a case study in survival. After enduring so many disasters, Puerto Ricans have learned that self-reliance is the only way. Now the islanders have suffered another disaster, albeit not quite as severe. But their response shows how much the island has learned about resilience. On Wednesday, April 6, a fire hit one of the island’s electricity plants causing a blackout. Despite the outage, hospitals and other critical infrastructure facilities were able to keep operating after having prepared themselves with generators. Talal Ansari reports for the Wall Street Journal:
Hospitals and other health facilities relied on generators and batteries to continue operations, according to government officials on social media. Many airports on the island were functioning as they operated on contingency plans, according to the Puerto Rico Ports Authority. The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan was operating as normal, thanks to generator systems, the airport said in a tweet.
Videos on social media, including from official government accounts, showed the fire at the Costa Sur generation plant, one of the four main plants on the island. Firefighters worked into the night to put out the blaze.
Puerto Rico has continued to experience severe electricity issues, including blackouts, due to damage the power grid suffered after Hurricane Maria ravaged much of the island in 2017.
Last year, Luma suffered a cyberattack shortly before a fire at a substation in San Juan, causing a blackout for hundreds of thousands of residents.
Action Line: You know that I always think you should have a plan. Whether it’s investments, survival, or saving money for your grandchildren, you need to work methodically, with a purpose. That means having a plan. You can’t work toward a purpose without a plan and expect to achieve your goals. But you must stay serious, and stay motivated to achieve those goals. If you need help, click here to subscribe to my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter. I’ll push you to make a plan and achieve your goals. But only if you’re serious.