Massive Power Outage Plunges Buenos Aires into Darkness, Affecting Nearly One Million Amid Heatwave

Widespread Disruption Across Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area

A significant power outage struck the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA) on Wednesday, January 15, 2026, leaving nearly one million people without electricity. The incident, which occurred around 2:45 PM local time, was attributed to a technical failure at a transformer substation in Morón, operated by the utility company Edenor. The widespread blackout caused considerable disruption, particularly as the region was experiencing an intense heatwave.

Technical Failure at Morón Substation Triggers Cascade Effect

The outage originated from a failure at the Morón transformer substation, which led to the disconnection of four high-voltage 220 kV transmission lines. This technical malfunction resulted in an immediate loss of approximately 3,000 MW of load, representing nearly 15% of Argentina's total electricity demand. The impact was felt across numerous neighborhoods in Buenos Aires City and its surrounding areas, including Palermo, Belgrano, Recoleta, Colegiales, Villa Devoto, Villa Pueredón, Chacarita, Caballito, Saavedra, Villa Ortúzar, and Villa Urquiza, as well as parts of the northern conurbation. The disruption extended to public services, with traffic lights ceasing to function and the subway system experiencing delays and interruptions.

While the Morón substation is primarily operated by Edenor, the interconnected nature of the grid meant that customers of the other major distributor, Edesur, were also affected. At the peak of the outage, official figures indicated that around 800,000 Edenor customers and approximately 56,000 Edesur customers were without power.

Restoration Efforts Underway

Following the incident, both Edenor and Edesur initiated protocols for service restoration. Within 30 minutes of the initial failure, more than 50% of affected Edenor users had their electricity restored, with over 90% recovering service within the first hour. By late afternoon, the Energy Department reported that service was progressively being normalized across the affected areas.

Underinvestment Concerns Resurface

The massive blackout has once again brought to the forefront long-standing concerns about the fragility and underinvestment in Argentina's electricity grid. Experts, including former Undersecretary of Electric Power Paulo Farina, highlighted that the incident 'once again exposes deep flaws in transmission planning and the urgent need for long-delayed structural investments.' Farina emphasized that both Edenor and Edesur should be making significant investments, noting a lack of transformer substations and a failure to build necessary 500 kV and 220 kV transmission lines.

The 'Buenos Aires ring system' is described as fragile, often pushed to its limits during heatwaves when demand for air conditioning soars. Years of delayed investment to expand transmission capacity are cited as the underlying problem, rather than purely technological failure. The current administration is reportedly seeking 'market solutions' to address the neglected high-voltage power lines, exploring private-sector concessions and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) schemes to attract the necessary investment for grid modernization.