The Perfect Storm: Heat Waves and Power Outages in Buenos Aires

This article discusses the unprecedented heat waves affecting the city of Buenos Aires—between December 2013 and January 2014—and the extended power outages that ensued. It focuses on this particular extreme case to examine a broader spectrum of shortcomings regarding energy in Argentina, such as an increasing demand that is not matched by investment in supply, aging infrastructure, and lack of coordination between different programs. The article argues that these issues affect the city’s preparedness to confront the challenges of climate change and result in the failure to control demand, encourage energy saving, and reduce emissions.