Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 20, 2017 Moderators Share Posted March 20, 2017 (edited) Moderator comment: the following news article was NOT posted when it first came out. The power outage was only in the PC and Colon areas, and although a major outage, it just seemed not that important to Chiriqui. However, the impact of that outage and the subsequent actions about correcting the situation are making this a more important story. You may recall times in the summer of 2016 (and prior years) when reduced use of air conditioning and/or enforced brownouts were implemented in Chiriqui. Thus, we are back-tracking a bit on news articles to provide the complete story. Quote Power outage closed clinics next day Posted on March 18, 2017 in Panama Post Views: 231 TWO Social Security Fund (CSS) polyclinics were closed on Saturday March 18 following the power outage that plunged Panama and Colon into darkness the night before. Care services were suspended at Manuel María Valdés, in San Miguelito, and Alejandro De la Guardia in Bethania. The emergency room of the Bethania polyclinic will be closed until Sunday, March 19 at 7:00 a.m. The Ministry of Health (Minsa) reported that in the region of San Miguelito the health centers of San Isidro and Torrijos Carter were affected by the lack of electrical power but at noon, service was restored in the normal way. CSS staff are evaluating damage in emergency rooms, laboratories and air conditioners. The CSS said that health care services are being provided in the normal way in the Hospital Arnulfo Arias Madrid, Susana Jones, Villa Lucre, J.J. Vallarino, in Juan Díaz, and in Irma Lourdes. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/power-outage-closed-clinics-next-day Edited March 26, 2017 by Moderator_02 edited title to make it a bit more general Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 20, 2017 Author Moderators Share Posted March 20, 2017 Quote Blackout cost economy $1.3 million per hour Posted on March 19, 2017 in Panama Post Views: 136 PANAMA’S power blackout on Friday March 16 cost the local economy some $1.3 million an hour according to The Chamber of Commerce and Industries. The Chamber says smaller companies are the most harmed by these types of incidents, because they do not have emergency generators. The projection of the business group came after the blackout y in several areas of Panama and Colón due to three explosions in the substations of the electricity transmission company Etesa. The Public Services Authority announced Saturday that it will begin an investigation of the outage, which impacted thousands of users. Scores of restaurants were forced to close, and were unable to process payments for clients, and small stores closed their doors as police alerts were issued, that gangs could take advantage of the power outage that started early evening and lasted well into the night in most areas. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/blackout-cost-economy-1-3-million-per-hour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Quote in the summer of 2016 (and prior years) when reduced use of air conditioning and/or enforced brownouts were implemented in Chiriqui. These measures may be in effect again this year due to the inconsistency in weather. This site shows reservoir levels at the nation's major generating stations. http://www.hidromet.com.pa/niveles_actuales.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 20, 2017 Author Moderators Share Posted March 20, 2017 Quote POWER RATIONING begins March 20 Posted on March 20, 2017 in Panama Firefighters battle blaze after explosions Post Views: 54 MEASURES to ration the use of electric energy after the blackout on Friday in Panama city and province of Colón begin on Monday March 20. The Electric Transmission Company, S.A. (Etesa) announced the measures on Sunday evening and ordered the public and private sector to turn of air conditioners , from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., including shopping centers of the city. Businesses and offices that have electric power plants must be turned on and “fully disconnected from the network”. This measure does not include public and private hospitals, the Metro de Panamá, and some areas of Tocumen, and the rest of the country. The decision to ration energy,said Etesa is for “the recovery and total stabilization of the electricity system in the city, after the blackout resulting from three explosions at the Etesa substation in Condado del Rey. “The state of alert is declared as a preventive measure to avoid overloading the system in the city of Panama and allow technicians to successfully complete the stabilization of the system” Etesa said in a statement. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/power-rationing-begins-march-20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 20, 2017 Author Moderators Share Posted March 20, 2017 http://www.prensa.com/in_english/Etesa-publico-privado-racionar-energia_21_4715738380.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBird Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Pay attention folks. This could be the first notice that ration of electrical energy is possible in Chiriqui. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger B Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 1 hour ago, BlueBird said: Pay attention folks. This could be the first notice that ration of electrical energy is possible in Chiriqui. It is only for Panama City. The problem was that the repair on the electrical substation located in Condado del Rey area will take some days and they need to work on the system and any excess of the demand will affect the now affected system that is not working at its 100%. When everything is repaired it will return to normal operations. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 20, 2017 Author Moderators Share Posted March 20, 2017 http://www.prensa.com/in_english/Etesa-suspende-racionamiento-electrico-previsto_21_4715738384.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 (edited) A major explosion has occurred at the Condado del Rey sub-station and a number of sectors are without power. Hopefully no electrical workers were injured. Security measures are in effect. Edited March 22, 2017 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 22, 2017 Author Moderators Share Posted March 22, 2017 Quote Electricity rationing plan canceled Posted on March 21, 2017 in Panama Post Views: 173 THE ELECTRICITY rationing that was to have been implemented in Panama City and Colon on Monday, March 20 has been canceled. The electricity transmission company Etesa has reported that the full operation of the capital’s electrical system has been restored. On Sunday evening, Etesa had announced that rationing would take place between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. including the shutdown of air conditioners in public and private offices and shopping centers. At 8:30 p.m. last Friday there was a blackout, was caused by a series of explosions in a substation. which left several areas of Panama and Colón without power for several hours. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/electricity-rationing-plan-canceled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 23, 2017 Author Moderators Share Posted March 23, 2017 Quote Energy fluctuations affect CSS hospitals Posted on March 22, 2017 in Panama Post Views: 60 FLUCTUATION in Panama’s electricity distribution system on Tuesday, Mar.22 damaged equipment in Social Security hospitals. Those affected were Susana Jones Cano, Villa Lucre, and the Arnulfo Arias Madrid Hospital Complex on Transístmica Doctor-patient appointments had to be rescheduled At Susana Jones Cano Hospital gynecological surgeries were suspended because of high temperatures in the operating rooms. In the Juan J. Díaz J. J. Vallarino polyclinic, only emergencies are being dealt with because of the damage to air conditioners by energy fluctuation http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/energy-fluctuations-affect-css-hospitals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 2 minutes ago, Moderator_02 said: Energy fluctuations affect CSS hospitals http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/energy-fluctuations-affect-css-hospitals With a bit of a sour attitude, I reply: "And this is supposed to be a surprise to anyone?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 ASEP, the consumer watchdog, is contracting independent inspectors to determine the cause of the failures and outages. Lack of maintenance is an easy tag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Of course, there's no better time for the CSS to make claims for damages to any/all equipment that may or may not have been caused by the outages. http://www.tvn-2.com/nacionales/Danos-equipos-sistemas-fluctuaciones-Caja-Seguro-Social-Apagon-Panama-Noticias_0_4717028320.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 A friend lost her computer yesterday in one of the many surges. And, yes, she has a UPS and, I believe, a whole-house surge protector. How does one prove that equipment was damaged by surges so as to recover costs of the equipment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 8 minutes ago, Bonnie said: A friend lost her computer yesterday in one of the many surges. And, yes, she has a UPS and, I believe, a whole-house surge protector. How does one prove that equipment was damaged by surges so as to recover costs of the equipment? Making an immediate complaint to ASEP would be a start although Spanish is required and I don't know if personal equipment would be claimable. http://www.asep.gob.pa/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 A 3 minute delay switch on the breaker box with a voltage regulator is what we have. When the power goes out it's 3 minutes after everybody else's power is back that we get ours. It was not cheap...but well worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 23, 2017 Author Moderators Share Posted March 23, 2017 http://www.prensa.com/in_english/Etesa-cambiara-transformadores_21_4717988155.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF13 Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Dont know what is going on in my neck of the woods, but power in Potrerillos has been very "iffy" over the past two days. A 6 hour outage yesterday, a couple of minor outages during the night and two more this morning. Certainly not blaming Panama City, I suspect piss poor maintainance is to blame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 10 minutes ago, JohnF13 said: Dont know what is going on in my neck of the woods, but power in Potrerillos has been very "iffy" over the past two days. A 6 hour outage yesterday, a couple of minor outages during the night and two more this morning. Certainly not blaming Panama City, I suspect piss poor maintainance is to blame. It's been iffy for two days here on the north side of Boquete, too. Two outages yesterday, two last night, and at least one today. I was in David most of today, though, and only experienced one about 9:00 or 9:30 this morning. I've started unplugging my computer and my washing machine when not in use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 23, 2017 Author Moderators Share Posted March 23, 2017 http://www.prensa.com/in_english/Directiva-Etesa-ordena-auditoria-apagones_21_4717988158.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 23, 2017 Author Moderators Share Posted March 23, 2017 http://www.prensa.com/in_english/Apagon-deja-secuelas_21_4717988157.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 The general manager of ETESA, Ing. Ivan Barria, fell on his sword yesterday and resigned. http://www.tvn-2.com/nacionales/Gerente-Etesa-presenta-renuncia-cargo_0_4717778249.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 42 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said: The general manager of ETESA, Ing. Ivan Barria, fell on his sword yesterday and resigned. ... This is the easy way out. I would prefer someone who would fix the problems, but alas, .... Speaking only for our household, I find it interesting that with all of the problems we have had with getting reliable and good quality electric service that it is only when PC is affected that attention is brought to the problem. Hopefully the problem will now be solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 10 minutes ago, Bud said: This is the easy way out. I would prefer someone who would fix the problems, but alas, .... The President is of the same opinion. He was not amused about the resignation which provides another great opportunity for criticism by his political opponents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.