A recent power outage in Buenos Aires affected over 622,000 customers, coinciding with a severe summer heat wave. The blackout lasted several hours due to a failure of high-voltage power lines and disrupted subway services and traffic management. Restoration efforts were complicated by peak electricity demand, highlighting ongoing infrastructure challenges in Argentina’s energy sector.
A significant power outage in Buenos Aires rendered over 600,000 customers without electricity, coinciding with an ongoing summer heat wave. Beginning at 12:40 p.m. on Wednesday, the blackout resulted from a high-voltage power line failure, compounding issues faced merely hours after officials restored service from an earlier outage. According to the Secretariat of Energy, the failure severely stressed the city’s power grid.
As the heat index reached 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 degrees Fahrenheit), the outage caused multiple substations to go offline, disrupting both subway services and traffic management. Municipal authorities reported the failure resulted in the suspension of subway operations on all lines and affected 50 stoplights, leading to increased police presence to manage the traffic chaos across central and southern Buenos Aires.
By late Wednesday afternoon, services resumed on nearly all train lines, although two remained offline. Emergency responders aided individuals trapped in elevators, while pedestrians navigated the congested streets. Power outages are typically prevalent in Argentina during seasons of high demand, such as the summer months in the Southern Hemisphere.
The frequency of these blackouts can be attributed to years of stagnant electricity pricing, which hindered necessary investments in the sector. However, under the current administration of President Javier Milei, utility rates have risen sharply, and efforts to attract foreign investment for energy infrastructure are underway.
In summary, the recent Buenos Aires power outage is a reminder of the vulnerabilities in the city’s electric grid, exacerbated by extreme summer temperatures. While the timely restoration of services helped alleviate some immediate difficulties, the underlying infrastructure issues and reliance on stable energy supply require attention. The government’s approach towards reforming energy prices and investment will be crucial in preventing future disruptions.
Original Source: apnews.com
