A monumental power outage swept through Chile on Tuesday, impacting 14 out of the country’s 16 regions, encompassing the capital city of Santiago and its neighboring areas, as reported by the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred). The metro service in Santiago was brought to a halt, leading to the evacuation of passengers, as stated by Transport Minister Juan Carlos Muñoz. Although Santiago International Airport assured that flights were running as scheduled with the aid of backup systems, LATAM Airlines of Chile noted that certain flights might encounter disruptions.
Senapred asserted that no emergency incidents had been reported in connection with the power failure. Interior Minister Carolina Tohá Morales disclosed in a press conference that a transmission line in the Chilean electrical network had been disconnected, triggering the widespread blackout that affected “a significant portion of the country”.
To address the crisis, the Disaster Risk Management Committee convened an emergency session to assess the extent of the blackout, with Tohá Morales expressing hope that services would be reinstated within hours. She emphasized a commitment to work persistently until normalcy was restored. The National Electrical Coordinator, an independent entity overseeing the Chilean electrical grid’s operation, activated a service recovery strategy to expedite the restoration of power.
Furthermore, Tohá Morales announced the deployment of the national gendarmerie force to bolster security on the streets and facilitate traffic flow. The government is evaluating contingency power arrangements for hospitals and prisons, ensuring essential services are maintained. Besides Santiago, other affected regions include Arica and Parinacota, Tarapacá, Antofagasta, Atacama, Coquimbo, AraucanÃa, ValparaÃso, O’Higgins, Maule, BiobÃo, Los Lagos, Los RÃos, and Ñuble.
The power outage coincided with Chile’s summer season, with temperatures soaring around 30 degrees Celsius (approximately 86 degrees Fahrenheit) in Santiago. This unfolding situation is under constant monitoring for developments.
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