Explosion at northern Puerto Rico power station triggers another blackout

Feb. 12--An explosion Sunday at a main substation in northern Puerto Rico triggered a blackout in an area beset by power woes since a monster hurricane plunged the island into darkness five months ago.

The island's utility company said electricity had been restored to 75% capacity after Hurricane Maria decimated the U.S. territory in late September. But that was before the explosion Sunday set off a huge fire at a main power substation, knocking out electricity in several towns and parts of the capital of San Juan.

It was not immediately known what caused the fire, although officials said the explosion knocked two other substations offline.

"We are trying to restore that as quickly as possible," said a statement from the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority.

Thick black smoke billowed from the substation as neighbors in the area described on social media seeing the sky turn orange following a loud explosion.

San Juan Mayor Carmen Cruz tweeted that no injuries had been reported, and that firefighters were on the scene.

Cruz famously clashed with President Trump last year over the federal government's response to the Sept. 20, 2017 disaster.

The latest setback comes as more than 400,000 power customers remain in the dark. Maria destroyed two-thirds of the island's power-distribution system and caused some $94 billion in damage.

The Category 4 storm destroyed two-thirds of the island's power distribution system and caused up to an estimated $94 billion in damage.

Just hours before the explosion, the power authority reported progress in its troubled restoration effort,

An island-wide boil water advisory remains in effect.

With News Wire Services

___

(c)2018 New York Daily News

Visit New York Daily News at www.nydailynews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.