On February 18, 2026, Paraguay's state energy company, Ande, reported a significant blackout impacting extensive regions of the country, particularly the capital Asunción. The blackout was triggered when two critical transmission lines from the Itaipu Binational hydropower plant, which is shared with Brazil and plays a pivotal role in the national interconnected system, went offline. This unexpected shutdown has raised concerns over the reliability of the country's energy infrastructure.

As temperatures soared above 40°C, with a heat index reaching up to 43°C, the timing of the blackout exacerbated an already challenging situation for residents. The heatwave likely increased the demand for electricity, which could have contributed to the failure of these transmission lines. In response, Ande announced that one of the lines had been restored to service, and they were working diligently to normalize power distribution in Asunción and surrounding areas while further investigating the root causes of the outages.

This incident sheds light on the vulnerability of Paraguay's energy system, especially during extreme weather conditions. The Itaipu Binational dam is crucial for the nation’s energy supply, and disruptions like this raise questions about contingency measures in place for future heatwaves or other natural events that could threaten power delivery. Authorities must address these infrastructure challenges to ensure essential services remain stable during climatic extremes.