La Palma Faces Total Blackout as Power Outages Create Crisis
The island of La Palma is currently grappling with a devastating energy crisis, leaving the entire region in darkness. According to information released by the island's government, the Canary Islands Emergency Plan, known as PLATECA, has been urgently activated to investigate the blackout and restore power as quickly as possible.
In a statement from 112 Canarias, the electricity company Endesa reported a significant failure at the Los Guinchos power plant in Breña Alta. This critical failure triggered a trip in the generation turbine at 5:32 PM, leading to a total blackout that affected approximately 50,289 supplies, according to Endesa's report to island authorities.
This unfortunate incident is not an isolated one. It follows previous episodes of power outages experienced in recent months, raising alarms about the island's energy stability. Notably, a similar widespread blackout occurred on April 28, raising concerns about the reliability of energy sources. The situation has prompted the regional government to delve deeper into the root causes of these concerning blackouts. Cadena Ser reported that La Palma dealt with a staggering three power outages in the month of May alone, impacting roughly 17,000 residents in the most recent incident, further underscoring the instability of the island's electricity supply.
Despite these outages, the Ministry of Ecological Transition has emphasized that La Palma does not face a generation deficit. The responsibility for these recent blackouts falls squarely on Endesa, prompting councilman Mariano Hernández Zapata to express his determination to hold the company accountable. He has stated intentions to impose sanctions for the disruptions that have inconvenienced and affected countless residents of La Palma.
As the authorities work to resolve this crisis and improve the energy infrastructure on the island, residents are left to navigate the darkness, hoping for swift restoration of their electricity supply.
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