National Blackout in Panama after the explosion of a thermoelectric plant transformer

Panama suffered a national blackout on the night of this Saturday after an explosion of a transformer of a thermoelectric plant located on the periphery of the Panamanian capital, a situation that lasted a few hours until the electricity supply began to be restored in a staggered way in the country.

The «national blackout» occurred around 23.40 on Saturday (4.40 GMT on Sunday) after the explosion eleven minutes before a transformer in the thermoelectric plant of PAN-AM, located in the district of La Chorrera, on the periphery of Ciudad de Panama, the National Authority of Public Services (ASEP) reported in a statement.

«We will be informing more details, once the research on this fact is developed that has affected the entire country,» said the general administrator of the ASEP, Zelmar Rodríguez Crespo.

The fire team that moved to the place of the explosion detailed in statements to the press that the situation was «under control», and that the six operators who were at the scene at the time of the explosion came out «healthy and saved» and none was injured.

About two hours later, the Electric Transmission SA, (ETESA) reported that the electric transmission system was «gradually restoring» after the «external event to the transmission network.» Shortly after he informed that 70 % network recovery had already been reached.

The president of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, was informing on his social networks about the situation that the country lived during the «national Blackout»: «Little by little it will be restored. Calm, ”he said.

Panama did not suffer a national blackout since 2019, which occurred in January, a few days before the arrival in the country of Pope Francis to participate in the World Youth Day (WYD), in which at least 100,000 pilgrims were expected. EFE