On February 26, 2025, a massive blackout struck Chile, prompting President Boric to declare a state of emergency. By early Wednesday, authorities restored power to most households after the outage disrupted transport and daily life for millions. The blackout’s cause has been attributed to the private grid management, leading to public criticism and a call for accountability.
On February 26, 2025, Chilean authorities announced the restoration of electricity to most households following a significant blackout that impacted millions. This incident prompted President Gabriel Boric to declare a state of emergency and implement a curfew across vast areas of the country. The blackout, described as the most severe in over a decade, disrupted daily life and transport services extensively in the capital, Santiago.
The power failure commenced on Tuesday afternoon and has been attributed to private companies managing the grid, with President Boric criticizing their performance. He expressed outrage, stating, “This is outrageous! The daily life of millions of Chileans can’t be impacted like this by companies that don’t do their job.” By early Wednesday, approximately 90 percent of electricity consumption had been restored, according to the power system’s operator.
The blackout affected a region stretching from Arica in the north to Los Lagos in the south, encompassing over 90 percent of Chile’s 20 million inhabitants. The situation led to significant transport disruption in Santiago, where metro evacuations took place and traffic chaos ensued due to inoperative traffic lights. Many commuters found themselves stranded as buses were overcrowded and unable to accommodate the demand, forcing some pedestrians to walk long distances in high temperatures.
Interior Minister Carolina Toha dismissed the idea of sabotage, suggesting instead a systemic operational failure. She stated, “There is no reason to assume that this is an attack,” emphasizing the need for an investigation into the mechanisms of the failure. Meanwhile, emergency protocols were activated, allowing hospitals and prisons to function on backup generators, ensuring critical services remained operational during the outage.
President Boric conducted an aerial assessment of the situation, witnessing the chaos on the ground. Videos reported incidents from the amusement park in Santiago, highlighting the broader impact of the blackout, which also affected businesses closing prematurely throughout various cities. The last significant blackout of this nature occurred around 15 years ago, highlighting the unusual scale of this incident.
In conclusion, Chile experienced a profound blackout that disrupted the lives of millions, leading to emergency measures and widespread transport chaos. Authorities have attributed the failure to managerial issues within the private sector, prompting public outcry and governmental action to restore power and ensure public safety. The incident reflects vulnerabilities within Chile’s power infrastructure and raises concerns regarding emergency preparedness.
Original Source: www.thestandard.com.hk
