WILLEMSTAD – The tourist hub of Jan Thiel came to a complete standstill last night as the island-wide blackout left Curaçao without power for more than half a day. Restaurants were shuttered, nightlife was extinguished, and even supermarkets—initially doing brisk business—eventually ran out of stock.
For visitors, it was an evening of improvisation. A Brazilian couple exchanging vows on the beach at Hotel Papagayo ended up celebrating their wedding by candlelight, with the help of a small diesel generator.
Wind Turbines Spark Chain Reaction
According to Aqualectra, the blackout was triggered by a chain reaction that began with the utility company’s wind turbines. Technical director Rudolf Garmes explained that sudden shifts in wind speed—violent gusts followed by calm—caused a major imbalance in the grid. “It led to a domino effect that shut down all power plants,” Garmes said.
Restoration proved difficult. Each time a neighborhood was reconnected, the demand surged higher than expected, leading to further outages. Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas (MFK) urged residents during an emergency press conference not to switch on all appliances—especially air conditioners—at once. “Once stability is restored, everything can go back on. But to ensure a smooth recovery, we must first work step by step,” he said.
Severe Impact on Society and Economy
The blackout disrupted far more than households and tourism. Supermarkets and small shops scrambled to preserve perishable goods. Many businesses lacked backup generators, and solar systems often proved insufficient to cover a full day without grid power.
Losses mounted quickly. One hotel reported losing a freezer stocked with 2,000 guilders’ worth of meat, while Landhuis Bonavista estimated 1,500 guilders in damages after freezers and a cooling unit failed. “If this is just our loss, imagine what it means for all the other accommodations,” one owner lamented.
On social media, frustration ran high, with residents criticizing the island’s continued vulnerability to blackouts in 2025. The last time a similar chain reaction crippled the grid was in 2023, when Dutch experts were called in to investigate the stability of Curaçao’s electricity system.
