Argentina's Power Restored After Blackout Plunged Half Of Country Into Darkness
The national grid in Argentina has regained power after a fire caused damage to a high-voltage power line that sparked blackouts for half the country, according to BBC.
More than 20 million individuals experienced a power outage on Wednesday afternoon when transmission lines were damaged by a fire in fields west of the capital, Buenos Aires. This incident also resulted in the state-run nuclear facility Atucha I and Embalse being shut down.
In #Argentina, 20 million people were left without electricity due to a major fire that led to the shutdown of the Atucha I nuclear power plant. pic.twitter.com/aoFi8GbrCh
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 2, 2023
"Local TV station Todo Noticias reported that the grid was unable to meet 40% of electricity demand," Bloomberg said. The graphic below shows the moment power generation plunged.
In Buenos Aires, blackouts were reported across many districts. Entire neighborhoods went dark, traffic lights malfunctioned, subway station service halted, and mass confusion was widespread.
Millions left in darkness as major power outage cripples several of Argentina's provinces, including parts of Buenos Aireshttps://t.co/ceo6APxc8l pic.twitter.com/NJYIHj30Ir
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 2, 2023
Alejandra Rodriguez, a waitress in the capital, told AFP news her restaurant switched on a generator. She said the worst thing about the blackout was the uncertainty about when the power would be flipped back on.
"We cannot work, we cannot clean ourselves, our bathrooms have run out of water, we cannot attend to people," Rodriguez said.
Rolling blackouts in Buenos Aires are not uncommon. Several years ago, a massive electrical failure left millions in the dark for days. An unannounced blackout is startling and usually causes mass confusion citywide.
In addition, Argentina has been suffering dangerous heat waves. Temperatures in Buenos Aires topped 37C (99F) yesterday during the blackout.
After years of insufficient power grid investment, this incident is not unexpected in the third-world country.
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