The Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) organized the webinar “Why the Blackouts occure in Latin America? Solutions…”, a high-level technical forum that brought together international experts to analyze the causes of recent power outages in the region and promote resilient, sustainable, and regionally integrated strategies.
The virtual event featured representatives from the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), University of Chile, University of Genoa, the Inter-American Dialogue, and regional energy authorities. During the meeting, it was shown that blackouts in Latin America and the Caribbean are not isolated incidents but the result of critical factors such as underinvestment in transmission, climate vulnerability, outdated infrastructure, and obsolete regulatory frameworks.
Andrés Rebolledo, Executive Secretary of OLADE, emphasized that the event aims to foster technical reflection and coordinated action: “We are living at a crucial moment between the transition to clean energy and an urgent energy security agenda. The region needs experience-sharing and collective solution-building.”
In his opening remarks, Fitzgerald Cantero, Director of Studies, Projects and Information at OLADE, stressed: “Blackouts should not only be understood as a technical issue but as a structural challenge that affects quality of life, economic development, and the security of millions of people.”
Dr. Cheng, Executive Secretary of GEIDCO, emphasized that grid resilience is an urgent need, highlighting the importance of moving toward digital, smart, and regionally interconnected networks capable of responding to extreme events. GEIDCO shared simulations of recent blackouts in Chile, Argentina, Panama, and Cuba, identifying root causes and presenting concrete solutions.
Professor Rodrigo Moreno from the Institute of Complex Engineering Systems at the University of Chile stated, “There is no such thing as 100% reliable power supply. Failures are inevitable, and their impact can paralyze everything from transportation and communications to trade and political stability.”
Daniele Mestriner, researcher at the University of Genoa, shared the European and Italian experience in managing large-scale blackouts and restoring electric systems, highlighting technological solutions such as HVDC links, regional coordination, and hybrid restart protocols. He noted that the Italian model, based on control centers, autonomous plants, and international cooperation, can serve as a reference to strengthen resilience and modernization of electric grids in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Meanwhile, Alfonso Blanco from the Inter-American Dialogue warned of a growing mismatch between electrification expansion and available infrastructure: “Electrification is advancing faster than infrastructure. We need adaptive regulatory frameworks, deep planning, and increased investment in transmission to face climate change.”
This event is part of a series of OLADE initiatives to strengthen regional energy resilience.
Watch the full webinar at the following links:
ESP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTvRQb0fbyk
ING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA7Y0XZBQN0
