ORANJESTAD – July 7, 2025: A sudden power outage brought Aruba to a standstill on Saturday afternoon when WEB Aruba’s RECIP engines unexpectedly shut down during routine maintenance at 12:30 PM. This triggered a full island-wide blackout, disrupting essential services including the hospital, airport, hotels, and major businesses.
Although wind and solar parks remained active, the island’s residents were left in the dark until power began to be restored gradually about 90 minutes later.
The situation was especially chaotic at Aruba’s Queen Beatrix International Airport, where limited backup power left passengers waiting in long lines due to non-functional check-in terminals and security scanners. Businesses, salons, and supermarkets were forced to close or operate under difficult conditions, with debit card systems failing and interiors turning uncomfortably hot.
Prime Minister Mike Eman received updates from WEB’s Director, who explained the situation and outlined the restart process. Full restoration was completed by 6:00 PM, ending one of Aruba’s most disruptive blackouts in recent years.
