March 3, 2025

MR. DIRECTOR:

The recent blackout that affected almost the entire country reveals the need to recover in Chile the capacity for public-private collaboration for the benefit of the population. This requires leadership
clear communication, both in the immediate response and in the search for shared diagnoses, learning and development of proposals to strengthen the resilience of the electrical system. It is not about exempting companies and institutions that have failed to comply with their obligations from responsibility or downplaying the sanctions and compensation that may be required. However, their determination must be made through the institutional course and, if possible, based on an expert and independent analysis, given the magnitude and complexity of the event.
International experience shows that this type of event, with very low probability but high impact, occurs in various countries. Large blackouts in the US, Canada, Italy, Switzerland, Argentina or Uruguay have had recovery times similar to that of Chile. However, there was a lack of anticipation and frequent communication to report on the progress of the restoration. The recent memory of prolonged blackouts due to extreme weather events last winter generated uncertainty in the population.
These events reinforce the importance of strengthening the resilience of the electrical system in the face of a future with greater uncertainty, extreme weather events and risks of cyberattacks. To do so, it is essential to advance international interconnections, improve transmission and storage lines, avoid delays in sectoral and environmental permits that postpone the entry into operation of new projects, digitalize the electrical grid and modernize distribution regulation with a focus on quality of service.
Electric and renewable energy are essential for the well-being and sustainable development of the 21st century. Its interruption increasingly impacts our daily lives, evidencing the need to strengthen the security of supply. This episode must mark a turning point to recover a culture of collaboration in the response to emergencies and promote continuous learning. Only in this way can we have a more reliable, accessible and sustainable electrical system for the country.

Claudio Seebach
Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Sciences, Adolfo Ibáñez University