Question about utilities in Puerto Rico?

Question

I've been visiting someone in Puerto Rico for a few months now. I've noticed that the electricity, water, and cable go out every month.

I'd like to learn more about why that is. Any help?

Answer 1

Melissa, what JR is saying is true.  Well, maybe it's not every month, but it is, at least, every other month.  I'm a neighbor to the person JR is visiting here in Parque Monterrey, across the street from Hospital Damas.  These services do go out for several hours at a time.  Once, I had to replace most of the food in my fridge.

Answer 2

Weird. I live in San German and the power and water don't go out that often. Actually, it's been months since either has happened. Most likely you just happen to live in an area where the infrastructure isn't that great.

As for the cable, well, yeah. I share your pain. It's Choice Cable TV: the crappiest, most unreliable cable company on the island. And unless you get a satellite dish, you're stuck with them.

Answer 3

the locals tell me it's because there's no upkeep the don't fix anything until it breaks

Answer 4

That your saying is not true, I live outside of the metropolitan area(Arecibo) and I have all the services in my house everyday. In some time when the companies need to make arrangement to the services they notify thru the newspapers and TV, you can found time when the bad weather can interrupt the services but you have the service back in less than one hour. You can found other areas where the locals have problem with the water service because they live in a very high mountain.

About the cable service in PR is not a good choice I suggest to you to find a satellite service like Direct TV or Dish Network.

Answer 5

I live in Utuado and we lose utility service on a pretty regular basis although not for long periods of time.  I think it is due to construction in my area.  We tend to lose water and electricity.  Oh well!

Answer 6

depends where you are staying. Not the same to be in one of the big cities like San Juan, Caguas or Ponce where the infrastruture is better than to be in a small town in a mountain region or outside metro areas where infrastruture can be less strong.

This is your first time in Latin America? It is common in the region to have some areas of weak infrastructure and some other areas of strong  infrastructure in the same country, sometimes in the same province or town, blocks away you see this contradition.

Puerto Rico has overall a very good infrastructure but it does not compare to US or some parts of Europe where the electricity never goes out or stuff like that, they have more money to keep heavy maintenance, that is the difference.