Nationwide Power Outage Disrupts Life Across the Dominican Republic
A widespread power outage struck the entire Dominican Republic on Tuesday, causing significant disruptions to traffic, businesses, and daily life for nearly 11 million residents. According to the Dominican Electricity Transmission Company, the blackout was triggered by a failure in the grid’s transmission system, though the specific cause remains unclear.
Impact on Transportation and Daily Life
The blackout began during the afternoon rush hour, intensifying its impact on commuters. Public transit systems, including the metro in the capital, Santo Domingo, and aerial cable cars, were severely affected. Passengers trapped inside the metro were evacuated, while some individuals chose to walk through tunnels alongside the railway, as reported by Agence France-Presse.
Businesses faced immediate challenges as power outages paralyzed operations. Various establishments, from hospitals to banks, relied on generators, but many households and small businesses remained without electricity. Tomás Ozuna, a 37-year-old IT worker, expressed concern over the chaos, stating, “Traffic is already chaos in eastern Santo Domingo. I don’t know how we’ll work.”
Social media users reported outages from different regions of the country, although some areas maintained electricity and internet access. Lissa Fernández, a bank employee, noted that while her workplace had a generator, she faced uncertainty about her commute home with the metro out of service.
Ongoing Issues with Power Supply
The Dominican Republic primarily relies on oil and its derivatives for energy, supplemented by coal, natural gas, and, to a lesser extent, renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, according to the International Energy Agency. In recent weeks, residents have experienced outages lasting up to 10 hours, attributed to a lack of maintenance and illegal connections, as indicated by the board of electricity distribution companies.
Leonel Encarnación, a barbershop owner in Santo Domingo, witnessed the immediate impact of the blackout on his business. “Ever since the air conditioning shut down, the clients left,” he lamented.
As the government and relevant authorities work to identify the cause of the outage and restore power, the residents of the Dominican Republic remain hopeful for a swift resolution to the challenges posed by this significant disruption.
