March 2010 Chile blackout
Encyclopedia
The March 2010 Chile blackout was an electric power outage
that affected most of Chile
on March 14, 2010. It began at 8:44 pm (23:44 GMT) on Sunday and continued into the next day. The power was restored in a few hours in some areas, and by midnight in most areas, except in the Biobío Region.
The blackout was caused by a failure of a 500 kV transformer
at a substation
in southern Chile that is part of the Central Interconnected System
(SIC). The affected transformer is located around 700 kilometres (435 mi) south of the capital, Santiago
. The SIC serves about 93% of the country's population, from Taltal
in the north to the Chiloé Island
in the south, including Santiago. At one point Santiago was receiving only 8% of the electricity normally required.
The blackout interrupted a music concert being held to raise funds for the survivors of the earthquake that had devastated the country two weeks earlier
. In addition, thousands of people had to be rescued from the Santiago Metro
after 20 trains were immobilised and the telephone network was also affected. The fire brigade had to free several people trapped in elevator
s.
The blackout affected 90% of the population and electric service began to be restored after an hour. Around 98% of people affected had service restored by March 15, 2010. The blackout caused the share price of the Enersis
mining group to fall by 1% to a three-month low, although loss of production was minimal there and at other mining companies in the country because of backup generators.
President
Sebastián Piñera
blamed the power failure on the recent earthquake and said the SIC would remain unstable for a week. Other officials stated that the outage was not directly related to the earthquake. The energy minister, Ricardo Raineri
, said that the electric transmission grid remains in a fragile state and asked Chileans to restrict their use of electricity. Raineri stated that during the earthquake the "electricity network suffered various damages, be it in transformers, switches and others".
An investigation is being carried out to determine if the failure was due to a lack of maintenance of the transformer. Piñera vowed to get the transformer repaired within 48 hours of the blackout and to get affected transmission lines checked and repaired within seven days.
Power outage
A power outage is a short- or long-term loss of the electric power to an area.There are many causes of power failures in an electricity network...
that affected most of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
on March 14, 2010. It began at 8:44 pm (23:44 GMT) on Sunday and continued into the next day. The power was restored in a few hours in some areas, and by midnight in most areas, except in the Biobío Region.
The blackout was caused by a failure of a 500 kV transformer
Transformer
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
at a substation
Electrical substation
A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions...
in southern Chile that is part of the Central Interconnected System
Sistema Interconectado Central
The Sistema Interconectado Central or SIC is the main alternating current power grid in Chile spanning all of Chile from Atacama Region in the north to Los Lagos Region in the south. SIC transmits 68.5% of the national generation and serves 93% of Chile's population.-Sources:** -External links:*...
(SIC). The affected transformer is located around 700 kilometres (435 mi) south of the capital, Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
. The SIC serves about 93% of the country's population, from Taltal
Taltal
Taltal is a Chilean commune and city in Antofagasta Province, Antofagasta Region. According to the 2002 census, the commune population was 11,000 and has an area of ....
in the north to the Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island , also known as Greater Island of Chiloé , is the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago off the coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean...
in the south, including Santiago. At one point Santiago was receiving only 8% of the electricity normally required.
The blackout interrupted a music concert being held to raise funds for the survivors of the earthquake that had devastated the country two weeks earlier
2010 Chile earthquake
The 2010 Chile earthquake occurred off the coast of central Chile on Saturday, 27 February 2010, at 03:34 local time , having a magnitude of 8.8 on the moment magnitude scale, with intense shaking lasting for about three minutes. It ranks as the sixth largest earthquake ever to be recorded by a...
. In addition, thousands of people had to be rescued from the Santiago Metro
Santiago Metro
Metro de Santiago is South America's most extensive metro system with 5 lines, 108 stations and 103 kilometres of track making it the second longest in Latin America after that of Mexico City. The metro system serves the city of Santiago, Chile. Three of the lines are rubber-tyred...
after 20 trains were immobilised and the telephone network was also affected. The fire brigade had to free several people trapped in elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
s.
The blackout affected 90% of the population and electric service began to be restored after an hour. Around 98% of people affected had service restored by March 15, 2010. The blackout caused the share price of the Enersis
Enersis
Enersis is one of the main privately-owned multinational electric power corporations in Latin America. It currently holds direct and indirect participation in electric power generation, transmission, and distribution businesses...
mining group to fall by 1% to a three-month low, although loss of production was minimal there and at other mining companies in the country because of backup generators.
President
President of Chile
The President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
Sebastián Piñera
Sebastián Piñera
Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique is a Chilean businessman and politician. He was elected President of Chile in January 2010, taking office in March 2010.- Education :...
blamed the power failure on the recent earthquake and said the SIC would remain unstable for a week. Other officials stated that the outage was not directly related to the earthquake. The energy minister, Ricardo Raineri
Ricardo Raineri
Ricardo Jorge Raineri Bernain is an economist, academic, researcher, consultant, and politician. On February 9, 2010, Chile's current President Sebastián Piñera nominated him to the Ministry of Energy.-Biography:...
, said that the electric transmission grid remains in a fragile state and asked Chileans to restrict their use of electricity. Raineri stated that during the earthquake the "electricity network suffered various damages, be it in transformers, switches and others".
An investigation is being carried out to determine if the failure was due to a lack of maintenance of the transformer. Piñera vowed to get the transformer repaired within 48 hours of the blackout and to get affected transmission lines checked and repaired within seven days.