A high-voltage power line failure at 12:40 p.m. triggered the outage, hitting over 622,000 customers just hours after service had been restored from an earlier blackout, Argentina’s Secretariat of Energy reported.
Electricity provider Edesur confirmed the failure impacted multiple substations, worsening strain on the city’s grid as a heatwave drove energy demand to extreme levels. Technicians worked to restore power throughout the afternoon.
The outage halted subway operations, leaving passengers stranded, while over 50 traffic signals went dark, causing congestion in central and southern Buenos Aires. Hundreds of traffic officers were deployed to manage the disruption. By late afternoon, service had resumed on most subway lines, though power remained out for roughly 200,000 customers, according to an Energy Secretariat spokesperson.
The blackout affected several districts, including the city’s center and south, and even reached the Casa Rosada presidential palace. In Barracas, one of the hardest-hit neighborhoods, residents struggled with the sweltering heat, some seeking relief on the streets.
Businesses also suffered losses. "I have a ton of clothes to deliver, and in this heat, it's unbearable," said Gilda Ávila, a laundromat worker. Eduardo Marecos, a butcher, expressed frustration over rising electricity costs, stating, "We pay nearly a million pesos a month for power, so going through this is awful."
Power cuts are common in Argentina during peak demand periods, partly due to years of underinvestment in the energy sector. While previous administrations kept electricity prices artificially low, President Javier Milei has implemented sharp rate hikes to attract foreign investment. Electricity costs in Buenos Aires rose 268% in 2024, with inflation reaching 117.8%, according to a University of Buenos Aires and CONICET report.
By mid-afternoon, about 70% of affected users had regained power, but thousands remained in the dark, enduring the intense summer heat.