A massive blackout affecting 98% of Chile’s 19 million people has been resolved, with most regions having electricity restored. However, investigations continue into the cause of the outage and related fatalities. The government has lifted curfews and resumed normal operations in Santiago. President Gabriel Boric called for accountability from energy companies for the disruption.
Power has been restored to the majority of Chile’s 19 million residents following a significant blackout, the most severe in 15 years. After the outage left 98% of the population without electricity, the government lifted a strict curfew. Chilean Interior Minister Carolina Tohá announced that electricity had been restored to most of the 14 impacted regions, though approximately 220,000 individuals were still without power.
Restoration efforts faced challenges in northern Chile, where a fault in a key transmission line initiated the blackout, leading to widespread plant and line shutdowns. Investigations are ongoing to determine the root cause of this failure. Minister Tohá also noted that authorities are looking into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of three individuals who required electricity-dependent medical devices.
As normal transit resumed in Santiago, the government opted not to extend the state of emergency, which lapsed early on Wednesday. Reports indicate over 200 arrests were made for violating the curfew imposed during the outage. In towns like Maipú, residents eagerly awaited the return of electricity and drinking water.
Commuters continued to face obstacles navigating intersections without operational traffic lights. In response, Minister Tohá stated that additional security personnel would be deployed to mitigate traffic issues. This blackout marked the most significant power outage for Chile since the disastrous earthquake and tsunami in 2010 that disrupted essential services nationwide.
President Gabriel Boric criticized energy transmission companies, asserting that an investigation would be launched into the companies responsible for the faulty transmission line, indicating it was installed by ISA InterChile. Boric emphasized, “It is not tolerable that the daily lives of millions of Chileans are affected by the responsibility of one or several companies,” and insisted that the state has a duty to hold them accountable.
In summary, the recent blackout in Chile, affecting nearly all residents, has prompted a governmental response and plans for investigation into the causes and parties responsible. The incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding private sector control of essential services and the need for stricter regulatory measures. The state’s role in safeguarding public interests amidst corporate responsibilities remains a pivotal topic for ongoing discourse.
Original Source: www.theguardian.com
