Half of Puerto Rico without power after sweeping New Year’s Eve blackout

Power and communication lines are seen on a dark street in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after a major power outage hit the island on Tuesday. Photograph: Ricardo Arduengo/AFP/Getty Images

More than half of Puerto Rico remained without electricity early on Wednesday after a sweeping power outage on New Year’s Eve.

Luma Energy, the private energy company primarily supplying power to the island, reported as of 10.45am on Tuesday morning that only 13.5% of the US territory’s customers had power.