The blackout underscores the fragility of Guadeloupe's electricity infrastructure, which relies heavily on a single power plant for its energy needs.
The social unrest reflects deeper issues regarding labor rights and the management of public utilities in non-interconnected territories like Guadeloupe.
The ongoing conflict between the CGT and EDF management could lead to further disruptions in electricity supply if negotiations do not resolve the underlying issues.
Increased scrutiny on the management practices of EDF in Guadeloupe may arise, potentially prompting regulatory changes or government intervention.
Guadeloupe has faced a significant electricity crisis after a general blackout that lasted nearly 24 hours, affecting approximately 380,000 residents. The outage was caused by striking employees at the EDF-PEI power plant in Jarry, who allegedly initiated an emergency shutdown of all engines on Friday morning. As of Saturday, power has been gradually restored to about 65% of homes, but around 80,500 customers remain without electricity. The prefecture has reported that water distribution and mobile networks were also severely impacted, with hospitals relying on generators to maintain operations.
The blackout has resulted in a curfew being imposed across the archipelago to ensure safety, during which several incidents of urban violence were reported. The social unrest stems from ongoing disputes between the CGT energy branch and EDF management regarding wage disputes and working conditions, which have persisted since mid-September. Despite the CGT’s demands for wage adjustments, local officials have condemned the actions of the striking employees, labeling them as sabotage that has had catastrophic consequences for the community.
