Chile Faces Massive Blackout, Struggles To Restore Power

Workers at a bar play with a soccer ball outside their workspace during a power outage in Santiago, Chile, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Basualdo)

Chile was plunged into chaos as a widespread blackout left 90% of the country without electricity, disrupting daily life and causing significant challenges for residents. The power outage caught authorities off guard, leading the government to declare a state of emergency and impose a mandatory nighttime curfew to ensure public safety.

The blackout, which lasted for several hours, resulted in a range of issues including stranded commuters, disrupted cell service, and paralyzed businesses. Water shortages were reported due to the failure of electric pumps, while emergency generators were utilized to keep essential services like hospitals and government offices running.

Despite the challenges, power gradually began to be restored after seven hours, with around half of the 8 million affected households regaining electricity. President Gabriel Boric expressed outrage over the incident, emphasizing the unacceptable impact on millions of Chileans.

Government declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew for public safety.

Chile experienced a widespread blackout affecting 90% of the country.

Stranded commuters, disrupted cell service, and paralyzed businesses were reported.

Water shortages occurred due to electric pump failures.

Emergency generators were used to maintain essential services like hospitals.

Power restoration began after seven hours, with half of affected households regaining electricity.

The blackout was attributed to a disruption in a high-voltage transmission line carrying power from the Atacama Desert to Santiago. The chain reaction of overloads and plant shutdowns led to the widespread blackout affecting regions from Arica to Los Lagos.

The outage caused traffic lights to fail, trains to stop, and ATMs to shut down, leading to widespread disruptions in transportation and daily activities. Authorities worked to maintain order and assist residents, evacuating passengers from darkened subway tunnels and directing traffic in the absence of functioning lights.

Businesses suffered financial losses, and essential services relied on backup generators to continue operations. The impact extended to copper mines, with some shutting down due to the lack of electricity.

The situation prompted a call for residents to stay home and avoid unnecessary travel, given the limited functioning of the transport system. Santiago International Airport switched to emergency power, warning of potential flight disruptions.

The blackout underscored the vulnerability of Chile's electric system and raised concerns about the need for improved infrastructure and contingency plans to prevent such widespread disruptions in the future.