By Friday the maximum temperature would reach 42 degrees, which if exceeded could break the record of 43.3 registered in Buenos Aires in 1957.
Argentina is facing a strong heat wave that, like every summer, translates into a substantial increase in electricity consumption, with the consequent risk of massive cuts in supply, mainly in Buenos Aires and its populous urban belt, such as those that have been taking place this week.
After exceeding 40 degrees in the center of the country last Tuesday, a day in which thousands of people were left in the dark in the capital and its surroundings, and due to forecasts of new highs between this Thursday and Friday, the Argentine Government ordered that public employees work from home both days to save energy.
The Secretary of Energy, Darío Martínez, justified the measure by the “record” demand for energy, “produced by the sustained growth of the Economy, combined with the historic heat wave,” according to what he expressed on Twitter.
The official also asked the population to save energy “to the extent possible” and “a greater effort to the business sector, to prioritize household consumption.”
Although this Thursday there were few areas with power outages, in the next few hours it is expected to reach a consumption similar to or higher than that of Tuesday, when a failure in the energy system affected nearly 700,000 users, according to the National Regulatory Entity. of electricity.
opposition criticism
Electricity rates, frozen for two years for Buenos Aires and its urban cord, only increased by 9% in mid-2021, while at the end of December the Government announced an increase that would apply up to 20% by 2022, much less. below inflation, projected at 52.1%, for which the State pays ever-increasing subsidies to energy companies, which generates multiple criticisms from the opposition.
Former conservative president Mauricio Macri (2015-2019) began a campaign on social networks with a metaphorical black photo, to which the spokesperson for the government of Alberto Fernández, Gabriela Cerruti, responded by reminding him of the massive power outage during his government in June 2019 , when much of the country was left without electricity for several hours.
“Energy populism has short legs. It is not free to freeze tariffs for 2 years, intervene in entities and give energy away,” said the president of the Radical Civic Union’s bloc of deputies, Mario Negri, who pointed out that the Executive “multiplied by three the subsidies to the Energy”.
The former governor of Buenos Aires during the Macri government and current deputy for the opposition coalition Together for Change, María Eugenia Vidal, joined the criticism: “When investment is not encouraged and the intention is to sweep problems under the carpet, these things happen. things. Today we are, once again, facing power outages that are becoming more frequent and last longer,” he declared on his networks.
Situation in the neighborhoods
In Villa Crespo, one of the capital’s neighborhoods affected by power outages, combustion generators abounded this Wednesday in front of the premises, which only allow basic appliances such as refrigerators to be kept in operation.
Juan, owner of a deli and eatery that opened just two months ago, lost “a lot of merchandise” and two days of work after twelve hours without electricity.
“Frozen, tortillas, empanadas, fruit salads, I had to throw everything away and it’s a cost,” the merchant tells Efe with indignation, who plans to claim the loss from the electricity company.
“Today you cannot miss a day of work, as the whole situation is, it is not enough for that,” he adds.
About 50 meters away, Horacio, an Armenian citizen who has an Arab food house, was without electricity for 18 hours and was able to “save” the merchandise thanks to the solidarity of his neighbors.
“Some came and took my merchandise to their house with electricity and my wife took something to my daughter’s house,” he says with resignation.
“Logically in summer it can happen, but it should not happen. One hour, two hours nothing happens, but 18 hours already…”, says Horacio.
Food stores were not the only ones affected. Nearby, Neldo Command had its mechanical workshop stopped for more than 12 hours.
“We have a generator but it is only enough for the house, not for the workshop,” he says.
Expectations
For this Friday the maximum temperature would reach 42 degrees, which if exceeded could break the record of 43.3 registered in Buenos Aires in 1957, seconded by the 41.1 reached on Tuesday.
With the temperatures forecast by the National Meteorological Service for the center of the country, at least until Sunday, the expectation of savings in households can hardly be met.
Meanwhile, those who can find a break in the parks and squares. (I)
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
