Puerto Rico residents protest electricity costs and outages

Hundreds of people marched in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to protest frequent power outages and record-high electricity rates. The demonstration targeted LUMA Energy, the private company managing electricity transmission and distribution, as well as government policies.

Protesters expressed frustration over a recent rate increase to 33.85 cents per kilowatt-hour, an 18.5% rise from the previous quarter. This rate significantly exceeds the United States average. The movement gained momentum on social media, driven by local business owners facing unsustainable costs.

One merchant, Christian Delgado, highlighted systemic concerns after his bill spiked from $300 to $3,500 before being corrected to $500 following media coverage. Delgado stated that the instability and rising cost of living have prompted his family to relocate to the United States. LUMA Energy issued a statement claiming it is not responsible for the rate hikes, citing fuel costs and electricity generation as the primary drivers.