Major major power outage hits Czech Republic capital

A massive power blackout has struck Czech Republic capital Prague, and other regions, suddenly stalling trains and prompting hospitals to switch to backup generators.

The outage in the Central European country started sweeping through the region shortly after midday on Friday affecting places like Central Bohemia, Usti, Liberec, and beyond.

In the heart of the capital of Czech Republic, Czech Republic, Metro lines A, B, and C ground to a halt, while trams on the right bank came to a standstill mid-route.

Traffic lights went dark too, leading to several accidents during what’s being called one of the most severe disruptions to the Czech power grid in recent years.

By 2 PM, firefighters had already handled 215 elevator rescues nationwide as people found themselves stuck.

A hospital in Kutna Hora, roughly 35 miles southeast of Prague, is now running on a generator with just eight hours of fuel left.

In Hradec Kralove, the local hospital has delayed all surgeries for the day, and paramedics have attended to four patients whose oxygen devices failed due to the power loss.

While some ATMs are out of service, Prague Morning reports no major disruptions to banking, mobile, or internet services so far.

Thankfully, Václav Havel Airport, the city’s main international hub, remains unaffected, with arrival and departure boards showing normal operations.

What sparked the power outage?

Prague’s energy supplier, PRE, attributed the blackout to a problem in the higher-level transmission network.

Spokesperson Karel Hanzelka explained to Czech Radio: “In simple terms, electricity stopped reaching Prague from external sources.”

Czech transmission operator ČEPS noted that a phase conductor on the V411 line, the country’s highest-voltage line responsible for long-distance power delivery from plants in the north, failed.

This ripple effect knocked out power to eight substations, with five now back online.

The precise reason for the conductor’s failure is still unknown, though an investigation is underway, and authorities have dismissed any cyber attack suspicions.