Santo Domingo – The Dominican Republic’s electrical grid is undergoing gradual restoration following a significant system-wide failure that triggered a partial blackout on Monday morning. Approximately 30% of the National Interconnected Electrical System (SENI) has been successfully reactivated as technicians work to stabilize the network.
The incident originated with the unexpected tripping of a critical 138-kilovolt transmission line connecting Hainamosa and Villa Duarte, causing cascading disruptions throughout the nation’s power infrastructure. Energy and Mines Minister Joel Santos emphasized the technical complexities involved in the restoration process, noting that system reintegration must proceed methodically to ensure operational safety and grid stability.
Emergency protocols were immediately activated to prioritize service restoration while maintaining infrastructure integrity. Despite the widespread outage, essential services including hospital operations, water supply systems, airport facilities, public transportation, and traffic control networks maintained functionality through backup power systems, substantially reducing the disruption’s impact on public safety and services.
Government authorities have confirmed that a comprehensive technical investigation will be launched once full service is restored. This probe will analyze the root cause of the system failure and develop preventive measures to enhance grid reliability and avoid future occurrences of similar incidents.