Excessive heat triggers massive power outage along the Adriatic Sea coast.
A major power failure hit the western Balkans during the sweltering afternoons. The scenic Croatian coast was not spared. With temperatures hovering around 40 degrees, Montenegro hinted at an overload due to the abrupt rise in energy use.
A heatwave leading to widespread power cuts struck the Balkan region. Montenegro's primary energy supplier declared outages in vast parts of the nation. The Energy Minister, Sasa Mujovic, communicated to local media that the sudden surge in power usage caused the system to crash. Impacted were Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Albania. The power outage disrupted traffic lights and air conditioning systems across the western Balkans.
In adjacent Croatia, multiple areas along the Adriatic Coast reported power failure, as per media accounts. A witness in the Croatian coastal city of Zadar supposedly observed the power cut for approximately 15 minutes. The region's temperature currently hovers around 40 degrees Celsius. The major power supplier HEP mentioned "international disturbances in electricity supply," affecting numerous countries. HEP is operating its power plants at maximum capacity to restore power supply quickly.
In Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sarajevo experienced a complete power outage, as per a reporter. The precise reason was ambiguous, but a representative from the local power supplier proposed an "overload." Reports also surfaced from Banja Luka and Mostar.
Albanian Energy Minister Florian Seriani talked about local issues. The capital Tirana was among those affected. A local TV station attributed the cause to a failure in Montenegro. An official announcement was yet to be made. Montenegro's grid operator CEDIS posted on its Facebook page that Montenegro was almost entirely without power.
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Despite the international disturbances in electricity supply, various countries, including Croatia, experienced power cuts due to the extreme heat. The Croatian weather has been particularly challenging, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius, putting a strain on the country's power infrastructure.