A massive blackout has left millions of people without electricity in Chile, marking the worst incident of its kind in the last 15 years. This outage affected significant copper mines and led to evacuations of companies and panic buying. In the capital, Santiago, vehicles were halted as traffic lights failed. According to reports, electricity is expected to be restored in the coming hours.
Chile's state-owned copper mining company, Codelco, reported that all its operations were impacted by the blackout. The population has been urged not to drive while electric transmission companies work to restore service as quickly as possible. However, some critical systems are operating on autonomous power.
Despite the difficulties, no looting or disorder has been reported so far. However, long lines were observed at markets and gas stations, with people rushing to stock up on food and fuel. The government has declared a state of emergency in much of the country, with a curfew from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM. The Interior Minister dismissed any notion of sabotage and attributed the blackout to a disconnection in the transmission line.
While some mining companies have been able to operate on backup power, a prolonged blackout could significantly impact the global copper market. Chile accounts for about a quarter of the world's supply of the metal. The minister warned that restoring service to the mining companies could take longer than expected.
Transportation services were also affected in the region. The Santiago metro was suspended, as were long-distance train services from the capital to the south. Authorities have called for an emergency meeting to coordinate response measures and restore electrical service.
Despite the situation, the Viña del Mar International Festival decided to proceed with its schedule, receiving the news with joy from spectators who had been waiting since early to enjoy the event. The mining company and the capital's airport have activated their emergency protocols to ensure the safety of workers and visitors, respectively.
