SEC Imposes $8.35 Billion Fine on Two Utilities Over Massive Blackout, Total Sanctions Now Exceeding $29 Billion

Original article: SEC multa con $8.350 millones a dos eléctricas por el mega apagón y eleva las sanciones a más de $29 mil millones

The regulatory body established accountability for the failure that left 98.5% of the country in darkness, imposing hefty fines on CGE Transmisión and Engie Energía for serious shortcomings in their backup systems.

The Superintendency of Electricity and Fuels (SEC) is continuing to clarify the administrative and technical responsibilities behind the massive blackout that impacted nearly the entire national territory on February 25, 2025, imposing financial penalties against two key companies in the transmission system, bringing the total fines to over 29 billion pesos.

The SEC confirmed that CGE TRANSMISIÓN and ENGIE ENERGÍA have been fined a total of 120,000 Monthly Tax Units (UTM). This amount, exceeding 8.35 billion pesos, corresponds to the direct responsibilities of both companies in the chain of failures that led to the power outage affecting 98.5% of the population for several hours.

The breakdown of the fines, detailed by the regulatory authority, is equal for both companies. Each will face a penalty of 60,000 UTM, equivalent to approximately 4.176 billion pesos per company. The central reason for these new sanctions is the lack of maintenance on the backup SCADA system installations, a critical failure that, according to the investigation, prevented a timely response and contributed to the magnitude and duration of the blackout.

These substantial penalties are not an isolated incident but are part of a package of sanctions recently announced. As previously reported on Friday, February 20, the SEC had already imposed harsh measures against other sector companies.

On that occasion, fines of 180,000 UTM were announced for INTERCHILE; 80,000 for TRANSELEC; and 50,000 for ALFA TRANSMISORA. Additionally, in an angle addressing the central management of the system, 300 UTM were imposed on each member of the National Electric Coordinator Council.

With the addition of new fines on CGE and Engie, the investigation has so far resulted in total penalties surpassing 29 billion pesos, marking one of the most significant sanctioning processes in the recent history of the Chilean electric sector.

Ongoing Investigation and Prospective New Sanctions

The sector authority has emphasized that this inquiry process is not yet complete. SEC Superintendent Marta Cabeza Vargas elaborated on the context surrounding these latest fines and the current state of the investigative process.

«These new fines are in addition to those applied last week because they are part of the same investigation,» she stated in a press release.

The authority explained the complexity of the process that led to determining the responsibilities of the sanctioned companies.

«This investigation involved a thorough analysis of thousands of technical and operational documents, which allowed us to establish concrete responsibilities regarding the circumstances that led to the power supply interruption, its extent, and duration, both for the sanctioned companies and the Coordinators’ Council members,» she noted.

Far from being closed, the investigation maintains several active fronts. The head of the SEC itself warned that the process is still open, leaving the door ajar for further financial penalties «against companies that have already been charged, since August of last year, for their alleged responsibility in this case,» the official statement detailed.

Finally, in a gesture towards the public and prevention measures, the Superintendency called for citizens to stay informed through social media: Instagram (@sec_chile), LinkedIn (Superintendency of Electricity and Fuels – SEC), X (@SEC_cl), and Superintendencia SEC (Facebook), where useful data and safety tips for energy usage can be accessed.