Khaberni - A rare power outage struck the entire Dominican Republic last Tuesday, leading to traffic disruptions and paralysis of business activities in the state with a population of about 11 million.
Officials blamed a fault in the transmission system, although the immediate cause was not clear. Generation units in San Pedro de Macoris and the Quisqueya power station were disrupted, leading to a series of failures in other transmission and generation stations, according to the Dominican electricity transmission company, a decentralized government agency.
Transport systems
The power outage disrupted mass transit systems including cable cars and the subway in the capital, Santo Domingo. Some passengers disembarked from the train and began walking through the tunnels alongside the railways.
Hospitals, banks, and other large institutions had to rely on generators, but many homes and small businesses were without power. It was not immediately clear how quickly the electricity would be restored, but by Tuesday evening, about 15% of the system was back up, according to Energy Minister Joel Santos.
Santos said, "We will restore power gradually," adding that the transportation and health sectors were prioritized. He mentioned that authorities were investigating the cause of the outage, explaining that "the electrical system is complex and requires thorough analysis before a final report can be issued."
