A massive power outage has swept across Georgia, leaving millions without electricity. The blackout struck shortly after midnight local time (9pm UK time), affecting the capital Tbilisi as well as Rustavi, Batumi, and other major cities.
Cause of the outage
Local media report that the state-run electricity operator Electrosystem attributed the outage to the disconnection of the power line linking the Georgian and Turkish electricity systems. This has led to restricted power supply in most parts of the country.
Internet users noted that even the Tbilisi TV Tower, a 277.5-meter-tall landmark on Mtatsminda Mountain, went dark. One Reddit user on the r/Tbilisi subreddit asked: "Anyone else experiencing an electricity outage? The whole city seems to be affected from my balcony view." Another added: "It's gone literally everywhere. Even the Andza radio tower has no electricity."
Impact and response
Approximately 3.8 to 3.9 million people live in Georgia, with about one-third of the population residing in Tbilisi. The full scale of the disruption remains unclear, and Georgian authorities have yet to make an official statement. The cause of the power line disconnection remains unknown.
