Long Hot Summer ...power Cuts

[Gerrysan]

On Power cleanliness lights flicker lots but most laptop or desktops can deal with this with modern power supplies. Fluorescent light bulbs never last their stated life time with luck a year instead of 5 or 6.
G

 

[Farenheit]

We had 3 power cuts this week. The first lasted 24 hours, the second only about 4. The third was bad luck, a taxi ploughed into the electric power box on the sidewalk by our house and they had to switch it off till it was mended. 14 hours without power. Hoping that next week will be better!!!

 

[AlexanderB]

So, are these outages happening all over the city, or just in select barrios? What's the bigger picture of electrical reliability to paint for a foreigner who is contemplating living in Recoleta, San Telmo, or Microcentro-ish, for example?

 

[trennod]

So, are these outages happening all over the city, or just in select barrios? What's the bigger picture of electrical reliability to paint for a foreigner who is contemplating living in Recoleta, San Telmo, or Microcentro-ish, for example?

They have been on and off all over Capital Federal, but then some areas have been unaffected. For example, I live in the east end of Palermo close to Libertador and ours hasnt gone out at all. In fact, I think in a year of living where I am the power has gone off only twice and no more than a couple of hours each time. Generally in the more expensive areas of the city the power reliability is better.

 

[camberiu]

Seem to me that they are using selective rolling black-outs to avoid an outright collapse of the system. That is how the brought the power back during the last outage. Also, it seems that they are sacrificing the poorer neighborhoods to ensure that the nicer areas remain powered.

 

[sleslie23]

So, are these outages happening all over the city, or just in select barrios? What's the bigger picture of electrical reliability to paint for a foreigner who is contemplating living in Recoleta, San Telmo, or Microcentro-ish, for example?

In San Telmo and Microcentro, you can pretty much count on them. As camberiu mentioned, there are rolling blackouts throughout the city. I have (luckily) been unaffected for the most part, but many people have been without power multiple times, some for days at a time.

The problem is threefold: 1) as it gets hotter, everyone everywhere turns on the AC full blast (this is not specific to Argentina, BTW), 2) the infrastructure is old and not well maintained, 3) there is also a political element involved, which in the end may doom us all to living in the dark.

 

[Davidglen77]

I was without power from Wednesday evening until Sunday evening (yesterday) and the worst part is we didn't have ANY water either. We got water this morning. I threw away close to $500 pesos worth of food from the refrigerator. My neighbor left a faucet on and since there was no water didn't notice the faucet was open. When the water came back on this morning, she wasn't there and the sink overflowed and flooded her whole apartment and the 92 year old lady under her. In my building we are REELING from this.

 

[AlexanderB]

In which neighbourhoods can count on as few power outages as possible, come February? With the understanding that nothing is guaranteed, I need fairly reliable power for work. I can - and do - live with the occasional disruption, but frequent and for long periods isn't going to work.

 

[camberiu]

In which neighbourhoods can count on as few power outages as possible, come February? With the understanding that nothing is guaranteed, I need fairly reliable power for work. I can - and do - live with the occasional disruption, but frequent and for long periods isn't going to work.

My guess would be Puerto Madero, Recoleta and Barrio Parque. Also, on Palermo close to the Av. de Libertador.

 

[AlexanderB]

My guess would be Puerto Madero, Recoleta and Barrio Parque. Also, on Palermo close to the Av. de Libertador.

I figured as much. Thank you.

Reliability of broadband is also a concern. Perfection is not necessary, but Pretty Good is a somewhat necessary standard.