Argentina: Half of Country Without Power After Fire Affects National Power Grid

Argentina is suffering a massive heatwave and drought that have caused a few fires. One of those fires has affected the Argentinian National Power Grid, causing blackouts throughout most of the country.

According to the BBC, several large cities all over Argentina, including the capital of Buenos Aires, are suffering from a massive blackout that was caused by the fire, which reportedly started in an open field.

The blaze affected crucial power lines in the coastal zone and forced a nuclear power station to go offline. The other affected regions include much of Central Argentina, such as Santa Fe, Neuquen, Cordoba, and Mendoza. This was confirmed by the country's Energy Secretariat.

Argentinian authorities are now looking into what actually started the fire that caused the power failure that has put 10,000 megawatts offline across the entire country.

Power Slowly Resuming in Argentina as Country Faces Massive Heat Wave

There is a bit of good news in some of the affected areas, however, as electricity is slowly returning to a few areas, according to Reuters.

A source for the Energy Secretariat spoke with the outlet and stated that the power supply in some of these affected areas was "slowly resuming."

Major cities are the worst affected by the blackout, and it has been reported that approximately 150,000 people are still without power in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area.

Many would have to endure the sweltering Argentinian summer heat without any refrigeration or air-conditioning. Reports have shown that the country is suffering from heat waves up to 35 degrees Celsius.

The major heat wave has increased the demand for power in the country, and this has also been causing some sporadic blackouts all over Argentina. These blackouts have been happening since January, and these may have been caused by the increased demand for power.

However, the country's Energy Ministry says that they are confident that they will soon be able to bring power back throughout all areas of the country soon. However, no expected timeline on when power will be fully restored has been announced so far.

What Has Been Affected by the Massive Argentina Blackout and Heat Wave

When the Argentinian National Power Grid was knocked out, it had brought much of the country's daily life to a halt. Several businesses closed, while classes were suspended as the blackout gripped Argentina.

According to Crisis 24, disruptions to local transportation and telecommunications are likely until at least March 2. It also warned that the blackouts could also render essential services, including ATMs and gas stations in affected areas, unavailable.

Around six million Argentinian households have been affected, along with around 20 million people, according to several reports.

Power outages are not uncommon in Argentina, as the country previously suffered a massive power failure in 2019, leaving millions of people without any electricity. The same happened in 2020 when thousands of homes in Buenos Aires left many in the dark.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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