A major power line failure just plunged 80 percent of Puerto Rico back into darkness

Much of Puerto Rico is back in the dark after a major power line failed Thursday.

The island plunged into total darkness when Hurricane Maria made landfall back in September. And while 43 percent of the island had recovered power before this failure, only 18 percent of the island has power now, BuzzFeed News reports.

One major power line repaired by Montana company Whitefish Energy is to blame for the failure. There's no word on why it failed or when energy will be fully restored, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority said.

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Puerto Rico had a $300 million deal with the tiny Whitefish Energy to restore the island's power. The contract came under scrutiny, however, when it was revealed that Whitefish only had two full-time employees at the time it made the deal. The power authority then cancelled the contract.

Authorities told NBC that some affected areas, which include parts of capital city San Juan, could regain power in 10 to 12 hours — but they said full power restoration is likely a long way off.