Massive Blackout Disrupts Czech Republic Halts Prague Metro
Major Power Outage Hits Czech Republic
A big power outage started in the Czech Republic on Friday just after noon. It spread to many areas, including Central Bohemia, Ústí, Liberec, and other nearby places.
In the capital city, Prague, all three metro lines (A, B, and C) stopped working. Trams on the eastern side of the city also suddenly stopped in the middle of their routes.
Traffic lights were turned off, which caused several road accidents. Experts say this is one of the worst power problems the country has had in years.
By 2 PM, firefighters had already rescued 215 people who were stuck in elevators.
A hospital in Kutna Hora, about 35 miles from Prague, is now using a generator. But the generator only has fuel for eight more hours.
In Hradec Králové, a hospital had to cancel all surgeries for the day. Paramedics also helped four patients whose oxygen machines stopped working because of the power cut.
Some ATMs are not working, but so far, there haven’t been major problems with banks, mobile phones, or the internet.
Thankfully, Václav Havel Airport in Prague is still working normally, with flights arriving and leaving as usual.
What Caused the Power Outage?
Prague’s power company, PRE, said the blackout happened because of a problem in the country’s main power system.
A company spokesperson said, “In simple words, electricity stopped coming into Prague from other places.”
The national power operator, ČEPS, said the problem came from a broken line called V411. This line carries a lot of electricity across the country from power stations in the north.
Because of this issue, eight major power stations went offline—five are now working again.
The exact reason why the power line broke is still not known. However, officials say it was not a cyber attack. They are still investigating.
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