Chile has restored power to most of its population following a significant blackout that affected 98% of citizens. Investigations are underway into the cause of the outage and fatalities linked to it. President Boric has emphasized the need for regulation of energy companies, citing public welfare. Citizens continue to face challenges as essential services recover.
Electricity has been restored to the majority of Chile’s 19 million citizens following the nation’s most significant blackout in 15 years, according to governmental officials. The blackout initially affected 98% of the population, leading to the implementation of a strict curfew. Interior Minister Carolina Tohá confirmed on Wednesday that 14 regions were largely operational again, although 220,000 residents still remained without power.
The outage originated from a fault in a crucial transmission line, which disrupted multiple power plants and transmission lines throughout the country. Investigations into the specifics of how this failure occurred are currently ongoing. Tohá also indicated that authorities would look into the circumstances surrounding three deaths associated with the blackout, particularly those reliant on electric medical devices.
As public transportation services, including trains and the subway, resumed in Santiago, the government deemed it unnecessary to extend the state of emergency, which concluded on Wednesday morning. More than 200 individuals were detained for violating the curfew, signifying a serious breach of public order during the crisis.
In various locations, residents awaited the restoration of essential services such as electricity and potable water, especially in areas like Maipú south of Santiago. Additionally, commuters faced challenges navigating streets still without functioning traffic lights. To mitigate this chaos, Tohá announced an increase in the deployment of security forces across urban areas.
This blackout is the most severe to impact Chile since the devastating 8.8-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in 2010, which resulted in widespread loss of power and communication failures. President Gabriel Boric criticized the energy transmission companies for their role in the outage. He emphasized the state’s responsibility to regulate these corporations, stating, “It is not tolerable that the daily lives of millions of Chileans are affected by the responsibility of one or several companies.”
There is rising advocacy for the state to play a more significant role in the planning of electrical infrastructure, especially since private companies have managed essential services since the military dictatorship that lasted from 1973 to 1990.
In summary, the blackout that affected Chile has been largely resolved, although some residents remain without power. Investigations are ongoing into the causes of the outage and the resultant fatalities. The nation’s leadership is under pressure to reassess the role of private companies in managing critical infrastructure, particularly after this significant disruption. It is imperative that the state ensures accountability to prevent future occurrences.
Original Source: www.theguardian.com
