Unstable weather conditions over the weekend caused widespread electrical disturbances across Aruba, resulting in multiple power outages through the night and into the next day. Heavy humidity and dense cloud cover led to lightning activity that struck several electrical poles, creating a chain of short circuits and system overloads.
Storm Triggers Power Interruptions
The bad weather, which initially moved across the southeast of Aruba, intensified as it reached the northern districts. Lightning strikes caused several street lamps and transformers to short out, disrupting power flow. Around 1:19 a.m., areas near Hooiberg and Sero Biento were the first to lose power. Within minutes, outages spread to Noord, Maria Maai, Warawara, Jan Flemming, and Macuarima.
By 1:40 a.m., additional areas such as Shaba and Tanki Leendert were affected, followed shortly by Palm Beach and Washington. NV Elmar’s emergency teams worked through the night inspecting fuses and light poles to identify damaged components. Power was gradually restored — beginning with Sero Biento at 2:39 a.m., followed by Tanki Leendert at 2:59 a.m., and Washington at 3:13 a.m.
Morning Brings New Outages
Just as electricity returned to several neighborhoods, new issues arose early Saturday morning. By 6:54 a.m., power cuts were reported again across Mahuma, Kamay, Jucuri, Papilon, Savaneta, Kadushi Largo, Soledad, Sabana Grandi, Tanki Leendert, Moko, Jan Flemming, Jara, Rooi Bosal, Barcadera, General Majoor de Bruynewijk, and Bubali.
Elmar crews were immediately dispatched to these locations. Repairs started in Kamay at 6:58 a.m., followed by Santa Cruz at 7:03 a.m., and power returned to Kamay at 7:24 a.m.. By 8:25 a.m., electricity was back in Moko, though technicians in Washington discovered a damaged transformer house requiring replacement parts.
Systematic Repairs Across the Island
Throughout the day, Elmar continued restoring power step by step.
- 9:38 a.m. – Power reestablished in Tanki Leendert
- 9:47 a.m. – 9:57 a.m. – Repairs completed in Mahuma, Papilon, and Jucuri
- 10:10 a.m. – Major repair identified in Savaneta after detecting direct connection faults
- 11:28 a.m. – Power restored in Barcadera
- 12:03 p.m. – Transformer repairs begin in Washington, with power simultaneously returning to Savaneta
- 2:16 p.m. – Power grid in Savaneta fully stabilized
Later in the afternoon, crews proceeded to Macuarima and Bubali for more extensive work. Electricity was restored in Macuarima by 3:31 p.m., while Bubali repairs took more than two hours to complete.
Final Repairs Completed in the Evening
The final major issue of the day occurred in Matividiri, where high-voltage current irregularities required urgent and complex repairs. After over two hours of work, the problem was resolved, and power was fully restored at 6:49 p.m.
NV Elmar thanked residents for their patience and cooperation, emphasizing that the team worked continuously for over 18 hours to bring stability back to the island’s power grid after severe weather disruptions.
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