On February 25, 2023, widespread power outages struck Chile, affecting regions from Arica and Parinacota in the north to Los Lagos in the south. The blackout began around 15:16 local time, impacting over 1.1 million people across the country, including the capital city of Santiago, where half of the population resides. Authorities reported disruptions not only to residential areas but also to major infrastructure, including the Metro de Santiago, which halted operations and left commuters stranded.
According to the Coordinador Eléctrico Nacional (CEN), the outages were caused by a disconnection of the 500 kV transmission system, located within the Norte Chico region. CEN announced the incident was not due to any external attack. “It is a failure of the system, not an attack,” emphasized Carolina Tohá, the Chilean Minister of the Interior, during a press conference aimed at reassuring the public following the incident.
The outage led to significant disruptions, particularly within the capital. “Due to the power cut, train services are suspended,” reported the Metro’s communications, urging commuters to find alternative transit options. The outage also affected traffic lights across multiple cities, creating chaos and long traffic jams as citizens attempted to navigate through the city without functional signals.
Health services have been closely monitored amid the outages. Ximena Aguilera, Minister of Health, stated, “Our health system remains functional and is taking necessary precautions.” According to her, emergency protocols had been activated, ensuring all hospitals and care facilities had backup generators ready for use.
To manage the situation effectively, the government convened emergency meetings via the Comité Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres (Cogrid). Key figures from various ministries, including Energy, Health, and Transportation, were involved. Luis Cordero, Subsecretary of the Interior, assured the public, “The government is preparing measures if power is not restored quickly.”
The operational struggles were not limited to urban areas. Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, reported significant impacts on its mining operations, as power interruptions halted activities across all its divisions. Meanwhile, Escondida, the largest copper mine globally, faced challenges due to the sudden energy loss and had to rely on backup generators to continue operations.
Despite the massive scale of the outages, some sectors remained buoyant. Airport operations at Santiago International continued without interruption, as they implemented backup systems to maintain flight schedules. “We activated our backup systems, allowing regular flight operations to continue,” said airport representatives.
Telecommunication services experienced minor interruptions, with companies like Movistar and Entel warning users of potential service irregularities. Conversely, Claro reported minimal impact during the outage, with most operations running smoothly.
The Minister of Transportation, Juan Carlos Muñoz, underscored the rapid response from public transport services, reinforcing bus lines to accommodate those affected by suspended train services. The government is working diligently to restore normalcy as quickly as possible.
User reports on social media surged, with numerous citizens expressing their frustrations and concerns over the sudden loss of power. With the regional impact being widespread, the urgency of restoring electricity became apparent as citizens encountered numerous difficulties, from daily inconveniences to potential safety hazards.
Authorities have begun to investigate the root cause of the outage, setting up teams to analyze the failure of the transmission system. They have committed to ensuring such failures are mitigated going forward. Tohá remarked, “Since the moment the power cut occurred, we have started recovery efforts. We anticipate restoring services within the coming hours.”
While the government’s immediate aim is to resolve current challenges, the experience has raised broader questions about Chile’s infrastructure reliability and the measures necessary to prevent future incidents. Moving forward, the commitment to assess and strengthen the electricity network remains central to government strategies.