As of Sept. 27, about 70% of Puerto Rico's 1.5-million customers have power after Hurricane Fiona knocked out all electrical service on Sept. 18—further damaging a grid still largely unrepaired from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria five years earlier, despite billions of dollars in appropriations. The Fiona havoc, mainly affecting the grid and water infrastructure, comes amid protests and calls for action and accountability from government officials over the lack of progress in rebuilding the grid after Maria.
Fiona made landfall as a Category 1 storm, bringing up to 35 in. of rain in places and wind speeds nearing 115 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. Luis Deya, public affairs officer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), says power distribution and water supply infrastructure were hit the hardest, but roads and bridges also suffered major impacts.