Remembering the Longest Blackout in U.S. History

BY USACE OFFICE OF HISTORY

In 2017, Hurricane Maria caused catastrophic damage in Puerto Rico, leading to the longest blackout in U.S. history. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) played a crucial role in restoring power, with more than 3,000 personnel volunteering. They worked with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, FEMA, and the U.S. electric power industry to procure more than 51 million replacement parts, including 61,000 power poles and 8,400 miles of conductor wire. USACE also installed generators at more than 1,200 critical facilities and used microgrids to restore power to 15,000 businesses and households in isolated communities.

Damaged power lines along a road in Humacao, Puerto Rico, one of the island’s hardest-hit municipalities, Oct. 28, 2017.

MICHAEL IZARD-CARROLL, USACE

USACE’s efforts included logistical planning, engineering, contracting, and project management. They coordinated the work of more than 4,000 contractors daily, with FEMA allocating $1.8 billion for grid repair. USACE’s successful completion of the mission demonstrated its ability to use federal resources efficiently and transparently, ensuring that the lights came back on across Puerto Rico.

Newly manufactured poles at the Task Force Power Restoration laydown yard at the Port of Ponce, Feb. 4, 2018.

ROBERT DEDEAUX, USACE

In the years following Maria, USACE continued to work on flood-risk-reduction projects and coastal storm-risk management studies in Puerto Rico. The new Caribbean District in San Juan now oversees Civil Works and Military Construction projects, reflecting the ongoing commitment to the region’s resilience and recovery. A

Neighbors celebrate outside the home of Mara Aleres Gomez in the Maleza Baja neighborhood of Aguadilla as a porch light illuminates, Nov. 14, 2017. Gomez’s home was the last of approximately 320 residences in that area to receive power. Jubilant scenes like this were repeated across the island over the next several months.

STEVEN SHEPARD, USACE

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