A series of power outages on Wednesday left approximately 620,000 users in Buenos Aires without electricity, including the Government House, according to authorities. This occurred as the Argentine capital was experiencing a heat wave with a thermal sensation of 44 degrees Celsius and a yellow alert for “extreme temperatures” was in effect. The outages not only disrupted daily life but also underscored the challenges faced by the city’s infrastructure and residents during periods of extreme weather.
Causes and Impact of the Outages
The power company Edesur, which serves the southern part of Buenos Aires, reported on the X network that a fault in a high-voltage line affecting several substations was the cause of the outage. This significant disruption followed another major outage earlier in the morning, highlighting the vulnerability of the city’s electrical grid. By mid-afternoon, service had been restored to about 70% of those affected, leaving around 200,000 customers still without power, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the Energy Secretariat. At the peak of the outage, a staggering 622,000 users were without electricity.
The widespread power cut affected not only the Casa Rosada but also over a dozen neighborhoods in the central and southern parts of the capital, leading to chaos at intersections without traffic lights, congestion, and the suspension of metro services. The lack of electricity in areas like Barracas, in the south of the city, for several hours during the sweltering heat forced residents to seek relief outside their homes or in any available shade.
Community Response and Challenges
Some entrepreneurs managed to mitigate the situation by using gasoline generators at the entrances of their businesses, while petrol stations saw long lines of people filling up containers. Gilda Ávila, a 39-year-old employee at a laundry in Barracas, expressed her frustration at not being able to use the machines due to the outage. “I have a lot of laundry to deliver. And with this heat, it’s impossible. Everything gets worse and nothing improves,” she lamented. The situation was further exacerbated by the significant increase in electricity tariffs in Buenos Aires in 2024, which rose by 268%, paralleling an inflation rate of 117.8%, as reported by the University of Buenos Aires and the CONICET scientific institute.
Eduardo Marecos, a 35-year-old butcher, shared his concerns, “This morning, we had to discard a lot of merchandise. We pay almost a million for electricity, so it’s tough to go through this.” His statement highlighted the economic strain that such outages impose on small businesses, which are already struggling with high operational costs due to the rising utility rates. As Buenos Aires continues to navigate through periods of extreme temperatures and infrastructure challenges, the resilience and adaptability of its residents and businesses will be crucial in managing these crises.