Puerto Rico's top energy executive says the territory's largest power plant could be offline for up to a year after a massive earthquake severely damaged it.
A 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit the southwestern part of Puerto Rico Monday, and a 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit the same area the next day, killing one and injuring several others.
The second quake caused widespread blackouts. About half the island had power restored by Thursday, and all power is expected to be back by the end of the weekend.
The Costa Sur plant — which provides about a quarter of the island's power — is in a southern town close to the epicenter of the quake. The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority says it will need to run all the other plants at full capacity to make up for that plant being out during its extensive repair process. The utility is also asking FEMA to provide temporary generators.
Additional reporting by Newsy affiliate CNN.
