Chile has restored power to most of its population after a 15-year blackout, leaving nearly 98% without electricity. The government lifted a strict curfew imposed during the outage, with 220,000 residents still without power.
Interior Minister Carolina Tohá said electricity had largely returned to 14 regions, while authorities investigated the cause of the blackout, which started in Chile’s north due to a fault in a transmission line.
The investigation into the cause of the blackout is ongoing. Three people died during the outage, with Tohá attributing their deaths to being dependent on electricity, likely for medical devices.
Trains and subway services resumed in Santiago, but authorities won’t extend a state of emergency that expired early on Wednesday. Over 200 people were arrested for violating the curfew.
In some areas, thousands waited anxiously for power and water to return. Traffic chaos persisted, with commuters struggling without functioning traffic lights. Tohá promised more security forces would be deployed to maintain order.
The blackout was the most significant since an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in 2010, when a tsunami cut off power and communication. President Gabriel Boric blamed energy transmission companies, vowing to investigate those responsible.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/26/chile-power-blackout