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It happened today – September 28, 2003: the blackout that darkened Italy. Here is the story of an incredible day

It was the night of September 28, 2003 when the blackout occurred, the largest in Italian history, which paralyzed the entire Peninsula for more than 12 hours. Here is the story of that incredible day, marked by fallen trees, Swiss pylons, 4 deaths and the famous first Roman “White Night”, which ended… in darkness

It happened today – September 28, 2003: the blackout that darkened Italy. Here is the story of an incredible day

In the early hours of 28 September 2003,Italy was literally shrouded in darkness. What initially appeared to be a normal electrical fault turned out to be the largest blackout in the country's history, involving over 56 million people. A power outage that lasted more than 12 hours, paralyzing the entire nation. But what exactly happened 21 years ago? And what were the consequences for Italy? Here is the story of that incredible day, marked by fallen trees, Swiss pylons, blocked trains and the famous first Roman “White Night”, which ended… in darkness.

The Beginning of Darkness

Tutto began at 3:01 a.m. on September 28, when a tree in Switzerland brought down a high-voltage line that supplied Italy. About 1300 MW of electrical power was traveling along the 380 kV line of the Lukmanier Pass, which runs from Mettlen, Switzerland, to Lavorgo, in the canton of Ticino. Due to the heating of the high currents, the length of the conductors increased, bringing them closer to the ground. At 03:01, due to a discharge towards a tree, the switches on the line opened. This caused the overload of remaining lines, which in turn deactivated.

It was a classic example of “butterfly Effect“: a single tree causes a blackout in an entire country! Theelectric energy which came from the Swiss power plants represented a significant share of the Italian requirement, and that failure created a domino effect which sent the entire system into a tailspin. In less than half an hour, theentire peninsula, from Bolzano to Trapani, she had fallen into darkness. Other interconnection lines with Switzerland and the Canton of Ticino also went out of order, leading to a total blockage.

Rome's "White Night": An Unexpected Ending

Just as Italy was sinking into darkness, Rome was celebrating the first edition of the “Notte Bianca”, a cultural initiative that included events and shops open until late at night. About 500.000 people were participating, enjoying open museums and outdoor shows. Then, suddenly, everything stopped. While the rest of Italy slept, unaware, the Romans saw the city stop suddenly. The subways were blocked, and hundreds of people were trapped in the stations. Despite the surreal situation, public order remained under control, with Mayor Walter Veltroni praising the “exemplary composure” of the citizens.

Discomfort and chaos throughout Italy

Il blackout paralyzed transportation throughout Italy. The trains (110 convoys were blocked) remained stopped for hours along national routes, with over 30 thousand passengers stranded on board and in stations.

Metros in cities like Rome and Milan were forced to suspend service, while road traffic in major cities became chaotic due to traffic lights being out. The system of telecommunications suffered slowdowns, further aggravating the situation.

The switchboards of the Police and Carabinieri were clogged with calls made by people stuck in elevators. there were problems at airports and stations, which in some cases led to the interruption of service. It is said that, when the blackout began, at the Molinette hospital in Turin there was a liver transplant is underway, which was completed thanks to emergency generators. In Naples, some hospitals had to transfer patients to other facilities to avoid risks. In Venice, the blackout caused the temporary interruption of the water supply.

Si They also recorded four deaths: three elderly women in Puglia and a young woman in the province of Treviso. Two of the elderly women died falling down the stairs, while one in Locorotondo (Bari) lost her life due to a fire caused by a candle. The young woman, however, was the victim of a road accident caused by a traffic light that was out.

A curious detail? The only areas left intact They were Sardinia and some smaller islands such as Pantelleria and Capri, equipped with an independent electricity grid.

The return to normality

La electricity began to gradually return only on the morning of September 29. The North was the first to turn the lights back on around 9 am, while Rome and Central Italy had to wait until 16:30 pm. In the South, the situation was even more critical: in Sicily, the electricity was restored only at 22 pm.

The causes of the blackout

Subsequent investigations revealed that the The 2003 blackout was caused by a series of interconnected factorsThe main problem was the vulnerability of the Italian electricity grid, which is heavily dependent on energy imports from abroad. The tree falling on Swiss soil and the resulting failure of power lines were only the first link in a chain of events. Italian power plants automatically shut down to protect themselves from further damage, leaving the country without power.

But the real question is: Why couldn't the problem be solved quickly? The reason lies in the complexity of the Italian electrical system. The hydroelectric plants, which could have provided energy to restart the system, in turn needed electricity to be activated, thus creating a paradox. In this context, it could be defined as a bureaucratic short circuit, where the emergency procedures were not sufficiently rapid or effective.

Furthermore, the investigations revealed that the request to lighten the load from Italy was far below the real needs: at least 2.000 MW had to be disconnected from Italy, while the Italian operator was ready to disconnect up to 3.000. In a few minutes, almost all the other interconnection lines went into overload, shutting down one after the other and leading to a total blackout. This interruption not only affected Italy, but also caused damage to other countries, with the collapse of the lines connecting Italy with Austria and Slovenia.

According to the Italian commission, "if the modification requested by the Swiss operator had been adequate in terms of power, the blackout would not have occurred". This response was confirmed by UCTE, the union of European electricity operators, which, along with other research, highlighted the responsibility of human error on the part of Swiss operators. The consequences of this error were devastating, highlighting the need for a rethink of operational practices and international cooperation in the energy sector.

The long-term repercussions

This event marked a turning point for the Italian energy system for all critical infrastructure in the country. After the 2003 blackout, the authorities realized theurgent need to reduce dependence on foreign imports and to strengthen energy self-sufficiency. A plan to modernize infrastructure and increase energy production from renewable sources, such as wind and solar. The 2003 episode was therefore a “wake-up call” that stimulated the country to take measures to prevent a similar event from happening again in the future.

Claims for compensation

I economic damages caused by the blackout of September 28, 2003 were relatively mild, thanks to the fact that it occurred on a Sunday night, although many people suffered significant inconvenience. The lack of electricity led, for example, to the non-functionality of freezers and refrigerators, with the recommendation to throw away food after twelve hours.

Many consumers decided to sue Enel for the damages suffered, since the company was responsible for the distribution of electricity. The Service Charter of Enel Distribuzione SpA, as indicated on the company's website, provided for an iautomatic compensation of 25 euros in the event of an interruption in the electricity supply lasting more than 6 hours. According to the Court of Cassation (ordinance 20324/09), however, to obtain compensation it was necessary to concrete evidence of damage. In one specific case, the Supreme Court rejected a user’s claim for compensation, saying the complaints were not sufficient to justify a refund.

Furthermore, the Court found that theEnel could not be held responsible, since it only dealt with the distribution of energy, while transmission was the responsibility of GRTN (now Terna). The rulings of the court of Santa Maria Capua Vetere confirmed that the blackout was not attributable to Enel. Despite approximately 90.000 lawsuits filed by citizens, the courts ruled in favor of the company, stating that there was no direct responsibility. Enel he therefore did not provide for the payment of refunds and, in 2006, a court ruled that no proof of damages had been provided. This led to legal disputes and increased costs for consumers. The attempt to launch a class action ran into the complexities of the Italian legal system.

A more prepared Italy… let's hope!

Today, more than 20 years later, the blackout of September 28, 2003 it remains an indelible memory, especially for those who lived that day. Despite improvements in energy production and distribution, Italy is still vulnerable to unforeseen weather events and technical failures. The most important lesson we have learned? Even a simple tree can make the difference. We can only hope that the next blackout, if there ever is one, will come when we are all asleep.

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