LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

Energy ADVISOR

A daily publication Of the dialogue

March 21, 2025

How Did a Failed Wire Take Down Chile’s Power Grid?

Nearly every Chilean utility customer lost power on Feb. 25 after a key transmission line went down. // File Photo: PhotoChur via Adobe Stock.

Q

A

Ricardo Raineri, former energy minister of Chile and former president of the International Association for Energy Economics: “The Feb. 25 blackout affected 98 percent of Chile’s population when a critical high-voltage transmission line connecting Nueva Maitencillo and Nueva Pan de Azúcar malfunctioned. This line carries electricity from northern power plants to central Chile’s population centers. Multiple failures contributed to this disaster. The SCADA monitoring system malfunctioned, preventing a proper emergency response. The transmission line carried 1,800 megawatts—exceeding the 1,600-megawatt contingency limit. Critical stability measures identified in 2018 and 2019 studies remained unimplemented. Only two of 23 designated black-start power plants were adequately certified, hampering restoration efforts. Chile must implement substantial reforms…”

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ABOUT THE Energy ADVISOR

A sister publication of the Inter-American Dialogue’s daily Latin America Advisor, the weekly Energy Advisor captures fresh analysis from business leaders and government officials on the most important developments in oil and gas, biofuels, the power sector, renewables, new technologies, and the policy debates shaping the future of energy in the Western Hemisphere and beyond. To subscribe or for more information, contact Gene Kuleta, editor of the Advisor, at gkuleta@thedialogue.org.

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Gene Kuleta
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202.463.2920
gkuleta@thedialogue.org

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board of advisors

Nigel Blackaby
Global Head, International Arbitration Group,
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Jimena Blanco
Chief Analyst,
Verisk Maplecroft

María José Cortés
Head of ESG,
Atlas Renewable Energy

Jeffrey Davidow
Senior Counselor,
The Cohen Group

Analia Gonzalez
Leader, Arbitration & Litigation,
Laitn America, BakerHostetler

Jonathan C. Hamilton
Partner,
White & Case

Raul Herrera
Partner, Corporate &
Securities Practice,
Arnold & Porter

James R. Jones
Chairman,
Monarch Global Strategies

Jorge Kamine
Partner, Corporate &
Financial Services,
Willkie Farr & Gallagher

Craig A. Kelly
Senior Director,
Int’l Government Relations,
Exxon Mobil

Jeremy Martin
Director,
Energy Program,
Institute of the Americas

Larry Pascal
Chairman, Americas
Practice Group,
Haynes & Boone

R. Kirk Sherr
President,
Clearview Strategy Group

Daniela Stevens
Director,
Energy Transition and Climate Program,
Inter-American Dialogue

Doris Rodríguez
Partner,
Hunton Andrews Kurth

Alexandra Valderrama
Director,
International Government
Affairs, Chevron

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