Trystan Casey
Panama City is no stranger to power outages, with its fair share of blackouts and brownouts over the years. In 2019, Hurricane Michael left practically the entire city without electricity, and in 2025, an explosion and fire at the La Chorrera Thermoelectric Power Plant caused a massive nationwide power outage. While Panamanian electricity is generally reliable, with stable electricity in some areas, short power cuts and longer outages do occur, sometimes due to heavy electrical storms common in the tropics. So, has electricity been restored in Panama City?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Power Outage | March 16, 2025 |
| Cause of Power Outage | Explosion and fire at the La Chorrera Thermoelectric Power Plant |
| Areas Affected | All of Panama |
| Restoration Timeline | Partial power restoration began by early Sunday; complete timeline uncertain |
| Impact | Water services and drinking water supply affected |
| Frequency of Power Outages in Panama | Frequent short power cuts |
| Power Restoration in Panama City | October 24, 2019 |
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What You'll Learn
Panama City Beach power restored after Hurricane Michael
Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, on October 10, 2018, as a Category 5 hurricane. With record-breaking wind speeds of 160 mph, it is the strongest hurricane to have ever hit the Florida Panhandle. The hurricane caused power outages for 1.2 million residents in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Virginia, and the Carolinas.
Panama City Beach, a town to the west or southwest of Panama City, suffered only a fraction of the storm damage that its larger neighbour endured. Nevertheless, practically the whole city was left without electricity.
In the aftermath of the hurricane, thousands of linemen and tree trimmers were deployed to tackle the problem. They worked in rotating shifts, 24 hours a day, freeing trapped power lines and planting new poles. Their speed was striking, leading some to speculate that the various companies were racing to see who could restore power the fastest.
By Monday, October 15, 2019, most power was restored in Panama City Beach, Florida, 18 hours before its estimated restoration time. Gulf Power announced that approximately 62,000 customers had been restored since Hurricane Michael's landfall. However, it was estimated that it would take another nine days before many in Panama City had their electric power restored.
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Power outages caused by transformers collapsing
Power outages are a common occurrence in Panama, with one source noting that they are imminent in Boquete. In 2019, Hurricane Michael caused a power outage that affected practically all of Panama City, with officials announcing that it would take at least another week to restore electricity to most residents.
While Panama City experiences frequent short power cuts, a major hours-long blackout occurred in March 2025. The state power utility ETESA announced the restoration of electricity across the country at 6:08 am (11:08 GMT). This blackout affected water treatment facilities, temporarily suspending access to drinking water.
Now, let's discuss power outages caused by transformers collapsing. Transformers are sturdy components designed to withstand adverse conditions like storms, animals, and vegetation. They are regularly maintained and repaired by professional line workers. However, when a transformer fault occurs, it can lead to a power outage. A "fault" refers to any condition that prevents the transformer from functioning properly. For instance, a shorted turn can cause a significant drop in output voltage and lead to excessive power consumption by the transformer, triggering an overcurrent or overtemperature cutout.
Distribution protection schemes are in place to safeguard transformers and other infrastructure. In the event of a fault, a breaker, recloser, or fuse upstream from the transformer should open to prevent damage. Alternatively, a fuse downstream from the transformer may burn up. Fuses are designed to be cheaper to replace than transformers. In some cases, engineers can prevent outages by identifying issues and rerouting power before protection equipment is activated.
The delay between a transformer failure and a power outage can vary. Transformers can often handle a 50% overload for up to an hour without sustaining damage. However, relays are programmed to cut the power if the overcurrent lasts too long or exceeds safe levels. This can lead to a chain reaction of trips, eventually cutting power to a wider area.
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La Chorrera Thermoelectric Power Plant explosion
On March 16, 2025, an explosion and fire at the La Chorrera Thermoelectric Power Plant caused a massive power outage in Panama, affecting the entire nation. The incident was attributed to a "technical fault" within one of the plant's generators, specifically a private power generator that triggered the system's protection. This resulted in a disruption to the country's electrical supply, causing widespread darkness and impacting essential services such as water treatment facilities, which rely on electricity for operation.
The explosion and fire at the La Chorrera Thermoelectric Power Plant had a significant impact on Panama's critical infrastructure. The power outage plunged the country into darkness, affecting both residential and commercial areas. Essential services, such as water treatment plants and wells, were severely impacted as they depend on electricity to function. This led to a temporary suspension of access to drinking water, highlighting the interconnectedness of critical systems.
In response to the crisis, firefighters worked tirelessly to extinguish the blaze, while officials provided regular updates and assurances to the public. Panama's President, Jose Raul Mulino, addressed the nation via social media, urging residents to remain calm and patient. He confirmed the gradual restoration of services, stating, "Service will be restored little by little. Stay calm." This message was echoed by authorities, who communicated their commitment to resolving the issue as quickly as possible.
The power outage in Panama highlights the country's vulnerability to critical infrastructure failures and the importance of resilient systems. The incident caused significant disruptions to daily life, businesses, and essential services. It also underscored the need for backup power solutions and emergency response plans to mitigate the impact of future outages. In the aftermath, there were calls for sanctions against energy companies responsible for the latest blackout, with a focus on improving the reliability of the country's power grid.
Overall, the La Chorrera Thermoelectric Power Plant explosion and the resulting power outage had far-reaching consequences for Panama. The incident underscored the country's reliance on a stable electricity supply and the interconnectedness of critical infrastructure systems. The response efforts and gradual restoration of power demonstrated the resilience and adaptability of Panama's government and emergency crews. This event serves as a reminder of the importance of preparedness and the need for continuous improvement in managing critical infrastructure.
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Panama's fragile energy infrastructure
Panama has been facing frequent power outages, with residents and businesses having to invest in backup systems to deal with the issue. In 2019, a hurricane caused a massive power outage in Panama City, leaving practically the whole city without electricity. In 2025, the country experienced a nationwide blackout due to a power plant explosion, affecting electricity and water supply. These incidents highlight the fragility of Panama's energy infrastructure.
Panama's energy sector faces significant challenges in addressing climate change and ensuring a sustainable and resilient energy supply. The country's economic growth has outpaced that of much of Latin America since the Panama Canal's independence in 2000. However, this growth has not improved the well-being of marginalized rural Indigenous populations, and the COVID pandemic amplified existing inequalities in access to healthcare, vaccines, and online education.
The country's energy infrastructure is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, as seen with the negative impact of El Niño in 2024 on energy security across Latin America. Panama's Indigenous communities, such as the Ngäbe and Buglé, lack energy access, and any new energy systems must consider the potential risks to the region's biodiversity and species density. The energy–water–food–climate nexus must be considered to ensure that new energy technologies are suited to the environment and least disruptive to fragile ecological systems.
To address these challenges, studies have proposed adapting existing and new infrastructure to meet climate change adaptation measures. This includes reducing risks, mitigating impacts, decreasing vulnerabilities, and increasing the resilience of Panama's energy infrastructure. Technical support and training are necessary to address knowledge gaps and empower local communities to maintain energy systems and monitor hydrological systems, habitats, and biodiversity.
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Water services affected by power outages
Power outages are a frequent occurrence in Panama City, with short power cuts happening often. In 2019, a power outage affected practically the whole city after Hurricane Michael, leaving residents without electricity for over a week. In 2025, the state power utility ETESA announced that electricity had been restored across the country after a blackout, but access to drinking water was temporarily suspended as the blackout affected water treatment facilities.
Water services can be significantly impacted by power outages, and this can pose a critical concern for homeowners during blackouts. Water supply systems are complex networks that deliver clean water to homes and businesses. The structure of these systems determines whether access to water is maintained during a power outage. The two primary sources of water are municipal water supplies and well water. Municipal water supplies typically include a network of pipelines, treatment facilities, and storage tanks. Understanding how your water system functions is essential for effective emergency preparedness.
During a power outage, the impact on water services will depend on the type of plumbing appliances and water heaters in your home. Most toilets use water pressure and gravity to function, so a power outage will not affect them. However, toilets that rely on a pump to operate will not function during a power outage, and flushing the toilet too many times could cause waste to back up or even overflow into the house. Similarly, while sinks should function as normal, whether you have access to hot water will depend on the type of water heater you have. Tank-style water heaters have a large reserve of hot water, but the water only stays warm for one to two hours. Tankless water heaters do not provide hot water during a power outage.
To prepare for a power outage, it is recommended to have a bucket of water ready to flush the toilet manually if needed. It is also advised to take a shower soon after the power goes out while there is still some hot water left in the tank. Additionally, if you have a pump-powered sewer system, it is important to avoid flushing the toilet more than is necessary to prevent sewer backup. Understanding how power outages affect your plumbing system and water supply is crucial for ensuring your comfort and safety during blackouts.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, electricity has been restored in Panama City. In 2019, Panama City was left without electricity after Hurricane Michael. Power was restored in the following nine days. In 2025, another massive power outage plunged Panama into darkness due to an explosion at the La Chorrera Thermoelectric Power Plant. Electricity was restored across the country by 6:08 am (11:08 GMT).
Power outages are frequent in Panama City. In a typical month, electricity may go out a few times. Short power cuts are common in Panama. However, according to a resident of Chitré, a place 160 miles west of Panama City, Panamanian electricity is very reliable, with very few blackouts.
It depends on the extent of the damage. In 2019, after Hurricane Michael, it took around nine days to restore power in Panama City. In 2025, after the explosion at the La Chorrera Thermoelectric Power Plant, partial power restoration began early on Sunday, with electricity trickling back to some regions by 9:00 AM EDT.
