Lakeland Electric and OUC workers will head to San Juan later this week to aid in power restoration efforts on the island. 

  • Lakeland Electric workers heading to Puerto Rico
  • 80 percent of island without power
  • May take 6 months before power fully restored
  • Storm Season 2017

Hurricane Maria slammed into the U.S. territory on Sept. 20.  

The Category 4 storm killed at least 48 people, destroyed tens of thousands of homes and left tens of thousands of people without a job. It was the strongest hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in nearly a century, with winds just shy of Category 5 force.

A month later, roughly 80 percent of the island remains without power.

Lakeland Electric workers will be joining fellow power company workers from across the country and Florida (Jacksonville and Kissimmee), who are already working on the island. 

In addition, linemen from Orlando Utilities Commission is also gearing up to send teams to Puerto Rico this week:

Last week, the House of Representatives passed a $36.5 billion disaster aid package for places including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and now a group of Democratic lawmakers are pushing for tax relief, saying that people and businesses in both U.S. territories affected by Hurricane Maria receive unequal treatment compared with U.S. states.

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency also has pledged more than $171 million to help restore power across the island, and it has distributed more than $5 million to municipalities in need, as well as $ 1 million to Puerto Rico’s National Guard.

Officials said it may take up to six months before power is fully restored on the island. 

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.