Chile in a State of Emergency and Under Curfew Due to a Massive Power Outage

A massive blackout affected all of Chile, leaving millions of people without electricity. The service interruption occurred around 3:16 PM local time (6:16 PM GMT) and covers 99% of Chilean territory, extending from Arica in the far north to the Los Lagos region in the south.

Due to the prolonged outage, the socialist president Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency and established a nighttime curfew in much of the country.

According to Chile's National Electric Coordinator, the failure originated due to a disconnection in the 500 kV transmission system in the Norte Chico sector, located in the central part of the country. However, the exact cause of the incident has not yet been determined and remains under investigation.

The Chilean Executive reported that the socialist Gabriel Boric is at the Carabineros Operational Management Center, closely monitoring the evolution of the crisis.

Additionally, an emergency meeting was convened at the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred), with the participation of ministers from various areas, such as Interior, Energy, Health, Public Works, and Environment, along with representatives from security forces, firefighters, and the Investigative Police.

Amid an intense heatwave affecting the country, the consequences of the blackout were immediately felt. In Santiago de Chile, the lack of electricity forced the closure of banks, stores, and shopping centers, while the traffic light paralysis caused a traffic collapse. Additionally, the subway service was suspended, affecting the mobility of thousands of people in the capital.

Meanwhile, Argentine authorities confirmed that the power outage also impacted their territory, although to a lesser extent. The provinces of Mendoza and San Juan experienced interruptions in the electricity supply, although in a more limited manner compared to the situation in Chile.

Meanwhile, Chile's Electric Regulatory Authority (SERC) announced the activation of the Service Recovery Plan, aiming to restore as many connections as possible in the shortest time possible.

This incident is reminiscent of the massive blackout that Cuba suffered a few months ago, where the few power plants of the communist regime went out of service due to decades of neglect and lack of investment. Chile, under Boric's socialist government, seems to be heading down the same path.