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Argentina and Uruguay Without Power After ‘Massive’ Failure Power Cut Hits All of Argentina and Uruguay, Affecting Tens of Millions
(32 minutes later)
BUENOS AIRES — A widespread power failure early Sunday morning left a large section of South America — including all of Argentina and Uruguay — without power, with social media users saying that parts of Brazil, Chile and Paraguay were also affected. BUENOS AIRES — A widespread power failure early Sunday morning left a large section of South America, including all of Argentina and Uruguay, without power — and an energy company official called the blackout “unprecedented.”
Argentina’s interconnection system “collapsed” at 7:07 a.m., cutting electricity in the entire country and also affecting Uruguay, the Argentine Secretariat of Energy said in a statement. Social media users said parts of Chile, Paraguay and southern Brazil were also affected.
“The causes have not been determined and are being investigated,” it added. Argentina’s interconnection system “collapsed” at 7:07 a.m., cutting electricity in the entire country and affecting Uruguay, the Argentine Secretariat of Energy said in a statement.
“The causes have not been determined and are being investigated,” the statement added.
Edesur, an electricity company in Argentina, announced on Twitter about 7:50 a.m. that a “massive failure in the electrical interconnection system left all of Argentina and Uruguay without power.”Edesur, an electricity company in Argentina, announced on Twitter about 7:50 a.m. that a “massive failure in the electrical interconnection system left all of Argentina and Uruguay without power.”
“There is a complete blackout in Argentina,” said Alejandra Martínez, a spokeswoman for Edesur, which serves parts of the capital, Buenos Aires, and its suburbs. Ms. Martínez added that at least part of Uruguay was affected as well. Uruguay’s energy supplier, U.T.E., also said on Twitter that a malfunction in the Argentine network before dawn had left the “entire national territory” without service.
Ms. Martínez described the blackout as “unprecedented.”
“This is the first time something like this has happened across the entire country,” she said.
Uruguay’s energy supplier, U.T.E., said on Twitter that a malfunction in the Argentine network at 7:06 a.m. had left the “entire national territory” without service.
Argentina has more than 44 million people, while Uruguay’s population is about 3.5 million.Argentina has more than 44 million people, while Uruguay’s population is about 3.5 million.
It remains unclear what caused the failure. Edesur was waiting for instructions from government authorities, Ms. Martínez said. “There is a complete blackout in Argentina,” said Alejandra Martínez, a spokeswoman for Edesur, which serves parts of the capital, Buenos Aires, and its suburbs and has more than 2.5 million customers.
The blackout comes on a weekend when Buenos Aires and its suburbs have been hit by heavy rainfall. Social media users said the failure had spread to Chile, Paraguay and southern Brazil. Ms. Martínez described the blackout in Argentina as “unprecedented.” She added, “This is the first time something like this has happened across the entire country.”
Residents posted images of their dark towns and cities. An economist in Uruguay said on Twitter that radio outlets were reporting 180,000 customers were without power in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, and 45,000 in Canelones, a city to the north of the capital. It was not immediately clear what caused the power failure. Edesur was waiting for instructions from government authorities, Ms. Martínez said.
The blackout comes on a weekend when Buenos Aires and its suburbs have been hit by heavy rainfall.
Residents posted images of their dark towns and cities. An economist in Uruguay said on Twitter that radio outlets were reporting that 180,000 customers were without power in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, and 45,000 in Canelones, a city to the north of the capital.
Subway trains were paralyzed, the Argentine news site Infobae reported, but flights appeared to be taking off and landing because airports were operating on generators.Subway trains were paralyzed, the Argentine news site Infobae reported, but flights appeared to be taking off and landing because airports were operating on generators.
Edesur was one of the first to alert the scale of the blackout. Edenor, the other distributor servicing the Argentine capital and its suburbs, followed suit with its own Twitter post at 8:33 a.m. Edesur was one of the first to alert the scale of the blackout, with Edenor, the other distributor servicing the Argentine capital and its suburbs, following suit with a Twitter post at 8:33 a.m.
Later in the morning, the Energy Secretariat of Argentina said that work to turn the power back on had begun in parts of the country, but that restoring the entire system “could take a few hours.” Later Sunday morning, the Energy Secretariat of Argentina said that work to turn the power back on had begun in parts of the country, but that restoring the entire system “could take a few hours.”
In 2009, a huge power failure in Brazil involving the world’s largest operating hydroelectric plant caused widespread blackouts that affected tens of millions of people and exposed the vulnerability of the country’s electricity infrastructure.In 2009, a huge power failure in Brazil involving the world’s largest operating hydroelectric plant caused widespread blackouts that affected tens of millions of people and exposed the vulnerability of the country’s electricity infrastructure.
That failure occurred at the Itaipú plant, which straddles the border between Brazil and Paraguay along the Paraná River and is a critical source of power for both nations.That failure occurred at the Itaipú plant, which straddles the border between Brazil and Paraguay along the Paraná River and is a critical source of power for both nations.