The Electric Transmission Company, S.A. (ETESA) urges the public to avoid unauthorized tree felling near high-voltage power transmission lines, as this practice poses a serious risk to public safety and can cause nationwide power outages.
The call comes after an incident that occurred the morning of Saturday, November 8th, in the La Unión de Chilibre area, where the felling of a tree—outside the right-of-way—caused it to fall onto the electrical grid, damaging conductors and leading to a temporary suspension of service.
At 10:32 a.m., the automatic opening of line 115-4A was registered, and three seconds later, line 115-3A, which caused a power supply failure in Colón and part of Chilibre.
Immediately, the established safety protocols were activated, and at 11:53 a.m., a "white code" was declared, fully restoring the service.
ETESA reiterates the importance of avoiding unauthorized tree felling and reminds that any pruning or intervention on trees near power lines must be carried out exclusively through official channels, which guarantee the safety of people and the protection of the National Interconnected System.
The company reaffirms its commitment to the country to offer a safe, reliable, and uninterrupted electricity service for all Panamanians.
