- Most electricity is now restored after a blackout in Chile plunged 90% of the country into darkness on Tuesday, according to the Chilean government. The outages suspended public transportation, halted traffic, knocked out cell service and impacted businesses, including major copper mines in the country’s north.
- At the height of the blackout, it impacted some 8 million homes, and officials said 14 of the nation’s 16 regions were affected.
- Hospitals, prisons and government buildings reported switching to backup generators due to the blackout.
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Most electricity is now restored after a blackout in Chile plunged 90% of the country into darkness on Tuesday, Feb. 25, according to the Chilean government.
What was the impact of the blackout?
The outages suspended public transportation, halted traffic, knocked out cell service and impacted businesses, including major copper mines in the country’s north.
At the height of the blackout, it impacted some 8 million homes, and officials said 14 of the nation’s 16 regions were affected. Hospitals, prisons, and government buildings reported switching to backup generators due to the blackout.
How did Chile respond to the crisis?
Chile’s president declared a state of emergency as a result of the blackout, deploying thousands of troops across the country to maintain order and enforce a curfew.
As of Wednesday, Feb. 26, the Chilean National Electric Coordinator said 90% of homes and businesses affected by the outages had electricity restored.
Chile’s interior minister also noted that 100% of public transportation is functioning, while Santiago International Airport said its flights were operating normally with the help of backup emergency systems.
What caused the blackout?
The minister said that a transmission failure in the country’s north led to the blackout. A cyberattack was ruled out, but the minister called for an investigation into the exact reason the power outages snowballed.
Chile’s president called the electrical failure intolerable and claimed energy companies failed to rise to the occasion.
The Chilean government has not given an exact timeframe for when they believe all electricity in the country will be restored.
