By V.E.K.Madhushani, Jadetimes News
Extreme Temperatures Strain Energy Infrastructure and Impact Daily Life
Four Balkan countries experienced simultaneous power cuts lasting several hours on Friday as the region sweltered under a summer heatwave. Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro, and large areas of the Croatian coast were affected by the afternoon blackouts, caused by surging demand for power as households switched on air conditioning to combat the high temperatures.
In Bosnia and Croatia, traffic lights were knocked out, causing transport chaos in Sarajevo, Split, and other major cities. Power suppliers managed to largely restore electricity by the evening but were still trying to identify the failure point in the interlinked power systems of the four countries.
The blackouts were first reported at 13:00 local time (11:00 GMT), with even water pumps grinding to a halt in Montenegro's capital, Podgorica. The loss of power also disrupted the tourist season in Croatian resorts, with holidaymakers in Dubrovnik left in disarray as restaurants, pubs, and supermarkets closed their doors. Temperatures across the region neared 40°C as the long, hot afternoon wore on.
Montenegro's Energy Minister Sasa Mujovic stated on national TV that "a sudden increase in power consumption due to high temperature" was to blame. Montenegro's Vijesti TV reported a fire in a power transmission line in a rugged area near the border with Bosnia, although it was unclear how this could be connected with the blackouts.
In Albania, officials said power was restored within half an hour but warned of a high risk of further blackouts as energy usage remained high. Energy production in the western Balkans is shifting away from coal, which accounts for much of the region's greenhouse gas emissions. Despite a significant drive to invest in solar energy, industry officials noted that the aging power infrastructure is not yet fully prepared for the transition.