Power grid collapse leaves millions of South Americans in the dark

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An estimated 10 million people in Argentina and Uruguay were left without electricity Sunday, following a breakdown in their shared power grid.

Power was restored throughout Uruguay by the afternoon, but half of Argentina remained in the dark throughout the day.

“There’s no subway, nothing is working,” Lucas Acosta, a 24-year-old Buenos Aires resident, told the Associated Press. “What’s worse, today is Father’s Day. I’ve just talked to a neighbor and he told me his sons won’t be able to meet him.”

The Argentinian government reported that the blackout began at 7 a.m. local time after a key system that connects the two nation’s grids collapsed. The precise reason for the collapse was unknown and still under investigation. Countries that border Uruguay and Argentina were not affected.

Argentina’s power grid has reportedly been in poor condition for several years, with its facilities and cable networks receiving only sporadic updates. Electric rates in the country are largely frozen, making infrastructure investment difficult.

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