Millions in Honduras, Nicaragua hit by regional power outage

A major power outage in Central America cut electricity to some 15 million residents on Wednesday, with the worst impact felt in Honduras and Nicaragua, according to regional power operator EOR, as efforts to get the lights back on were ramped up. The two most-affected countries saw power for nearly all residents "practically go down to zero volts," EOR communications head Evelyn Flores told Reuters.

A major power outage in Central America cut electricity to some 15 million residents on Wednesday, with the worst impact felt in Honduras and Nicaragua, according to regional power operator EOR, as efforts to get the lights back on were ramped up.

The two most-affected countries saw power for nearly all residents "practically go down to zero volts," EOR communications head Evelyn Flores told Reuters. The grid operator said the outage began at 1 p.m. (1900 GMT) but the cause and specific origin of the massive loss of power still being determined.

Energy use fell from 8,300 megawatts to just 2,400 megawatts across the region with the exception of Panama and Costa Rica, which were mostly unaffected, EOR added. EOR provides power to around 47 million people in Central America, from Panama to Guatemala, meaning nearly a third were forced to deal with a cut to power supplies.

The Brillantes electrical substation on the border between Mexico and Guatemala near the city of Tapachula suffered an interconnection failure at the same time, Guatemala's energy vice minister Manuel Eduardo Arita told Reuters. In Honduras, workers were gradually reestablishing electricity, which was expected to be restored by late afternoon, Luis Deras, the head of the national electricity company ENEE, told local radio station HRN.