On Thursday, a series of mishaps at Costa Rica’s Garabito Plant resulted in power outages affecting three countries. The incidents, categorized as a “human error” and a “coordination error,” triggered automatic safety measures, although the incident was not an attack.
Human Error Leads to Regional Disconnection
A human error incident at the plant, which involved the incorrect shutdown of three turbines, led to a temporary disconnection of Costa Rica from the Regional Electric System. This comprehensive system allows Central American nations to buy and sell energy amongst themselves and its temporary disruption had far-reaching effects.
Safety Protocols Trigger Additional Shutdowns
Following the inadvertent shutdown of the three turbines, eight more units were automatically turned off due to safety disconnection protocols. Consequently, 20 distribution lines within the national electricity system were simultaneously disconnected.
Widespread Impact in Nicaragua and Panama
The ripple effect of the incident spread to Nicaragua and Panama. When a country is isolated from the system, it creates a load and generation imbalance. As a result, Nicaragua experienced an overproduction of electricity, leading to a blackout across 60% of its territory.
The Regional Electric System disconnected Panama to correct the imbalance, thus maintaining connectivity only in the northern sector and avoiding bypassing Costa Rica to Panama. The southern part of this intercountry network comprises Costa Rica and Panama, while the northern sector includes Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
