The Tesla Powerwall powered 44,000 homes in Puerto Rico

The Tesla Powerwall powered 44,000 homes in Puerto Rico during the island’s most recent hurricane-related blackout.

The number of Powerwalls on the island is much higher than expected.

In 2017, Puerto Rico’s power system was severely damaged by a major hurricane.

At the time, Tesla had just recently launched its energy division and the Powerwall home battery. The company saw an opportunity to help the region and showcase its new product. Tesla focused its then-limited Powerwall production on supplying Puerto Rico with batteries that could provide backup power in the event of a blackout.

We reported that the company focused on important services. For example, along with Powerwalls, Tesla deployed a series of Powerpack systems on the Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra for sewage treatment plant, Arcadia Pumping Station, Ciudad Dorado Senior Citizens Community, Susan Centeno Hospital and Boys & Girls Club of Vieques.

The carmaker’s energy division, too deployed a solar panel and battery system at a hospital in Puerto Rico.

Less than a year after the disaster, Tesla claims it has 11,000 energy storage projects underway. It was an amazing number, but now, a few years later, we learn that Tesla is still going strong and now has Powerwalls in 44,000 homes in Puerto Rico.

Tesla made the announcement on Twitter in response to Powerwall owners reporting the performance of their home batteries:

The report on Powerwall’s work in Puerto Rico comes after another hurricane hit the island in September.

Five years after the devastating Hurricane Maria, the island’s power grid was still not ready to withstand another major hurricane, shutting down for several days across much of the island.

However, over the past few years, many homeowners have added home battery packs, such as Tesla Powerwalls, to their electrical systems and were able to keep the lights on during the most recent hurricane. Many of these battery systems are also connected to solar power, allowing homeowners to operate off-grid.

Tesla’s Powerwalls aren’t the only home batteries on the island, however, as other companies have launched competing products in recent years.

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