Caribbean Matters: Puerto Ricans face huge power bills amid blackouts

If it seems like I’ve been writing about the intolerable situation in Puerto Rico with ongoing blackouts and loss of electricity for years, it’s because I have. Having no power even when there is no major weather event has become a way of life (and death) for people in the colony and in the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well.

The island-wide blackouts were back in the headlines yet again in the wake of Tropical Storm Ernesto. The NOAA Satellite & Information Service reported:

Last week, Ernesto caused damage in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as it passed north of the region as a tropical storm, managing to knock out power to hundreds of thousands of residents. At one point, 23 hospitals were operating on generators. Schools and numerous roads were also closed

How long are we going to allow this situation to continue? Who are the major players responsible for this?  What can be done, and what can you do to help? Join me below for that discussion.

RELATED STORY: Caribbean Matters: Fried electronics, sky-high energy bills: How LUMA's failures cost Puerto Ricans

Caribbean Matters is a weekly series from Daily Kos. Hope you’ll join us here every Saturday. If you are unfamiliar with the region, check out Caribbean Matters: Getting to know the countries of the Caribbean.

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