US EditionNearly 80% of Paraguay without Electricity Amid Heat Wave
The blackout disrupted water and health services, hitting nearly 5 million people during a heat wave with temperatures surpassing 108°F, ANDE said.
- On Wednesday, Paraguay experienced a massive blackout that left nearly five million people without power during a heat wave with temperatures above 108°F, hitting about 3:20 p.m.
- A detached conductor at the Yguazú substation in Alto Paraná triggered a cascading failure on a 500 kV transmission line, forcing Itaipú Binacional's right-bank substation to disconnect remaining lines after a voltage surge separated Itaipú and Yacyreté dam feeds.
- Restoration began from Yacyreté-fed substations within hours, but drinking-water pumping by ESSAP was disrupted and hospitals saw emergency generators fail during the blackout.
- The outage highlighted infrastructure weaknesses, exposing Paraguay's dependence on a single high-voltage corridor from Itaipú and prompting ANDE and Itaipú to deny facility malfunctions amid President Santiago Peña's meetings in Washington with data centers and AI investors.
- Planned Yguazú–Valenzuela connection remains incomplete, leaving long-term risks despite Itaipú covering over 80% of demand in January, said Guillermo Krauch.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Paraguay's Grid Has No Backup. Wednesday Proved It
Key Points — A detached conductor on a 500 kV transmission line triggered a cascading failure Wednesday that cut electricity to 90% of Paraguay, including the capital Asunción, affecting over 1.4 million users during a brutal heat wave — The blackout knocked out traffic lights across the capital, shut down the national water utility’s pumping […]
Technicians are investigating the possible causes and working to restore power.
Asunción, 18 Feb (EFE).- On Wednesday, a blackout affected much of Paraguay's territory after two transmission lines from the Itaipu hydroelectric power plant, which is part of Brazil, that feed the national interconnected system, reported the National Electricity Administration (Ande).
The collapse of the electrical system was caused by a malfunction in high-voltage lines and generated neighborhood protests over power cuts and damage to appliances. Read more
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