Chile cold front: thunderstorm alert as regulator SEC demands contingency plans from power utilities

The cold front hitting central Chile reaches its most intense day today, Tuesday 20 October. At 05:48 the Chilean Meteorological Directorate (DMC) issued a thunderstorm alert for the Metropolitan, O'Higgins and Maule regions, valid from early morning until night, and at 06:49 another for moderate to heavy rain in a short period from Coquimbo to Maule, with up to 40 millimetres in parts of O'Higgins and Maule, according to Meganoticias.

For the power system, the combination of rain, wind and lightning is the riskiest: branches and trees on the lines, damaged poles and downed cables. That is why Energy Minister Ximena Rincón and the Superintendent of Electricity and Fuels, Marta Cabeza, met power companies on Monday, and the SEC instructed them to take preventive measures and submit contingency plans for the event, the Ministry of Energy reported.

Rain is expected to start in the afternoon and continue into the night. The DMC expects 25 to 35 millimetres in the valley of the Metropolitan Region, where Santiago lies, and the highest totals in the valley and foothills of O'Higgins and on the Maule coast. This is the breakdown by zone of alert AA180-2/2026:

The thunderstorm alert (AA185/2026) covers the valley, foothills and mountains of the Metropolitan and O'Higgins regions, and the foothills and mountains of Maule. The DMC warns that storms may bring heavy rain in a short time, according to Meganoticias. Thunder and lightning were reported in several Santiago districts early in the day.

The national disaster agency, Senapred, has preventive early warnings in place from Coquimbo to Maule between Monday afternoon and Wednesday 21. In the capital a red alert for landslide risk remains in force in ten districts, where classes are suspended today, and the government asked residents of homes hit by last week's mudslide in Las Condes to evacuate before 10:00, according to Meganoticias.

Monday's meeting reviewed three issues, according to the Ministry of Energy: each company's crew deployment, coverage for electricity-dependent patients (people who rely on powered medical equipment) and coordination with municipalities and regional delegations. The SEC also instructed companies to take measures against possible line damage and to report their contingency plans.

“We believe the deployment is guaranteed,” Minister Rincón said after the meeting. On electricity-dependent patients, she said 96% are covered with equipment and backup, and the remaining 4% did not receive equipment because they arranged their own backup, according to the same statement reported by Revista Electricidad.

Enel Distribución, which serves most of the Metropolitan Region, activated an emergency plan: it raised its field technical resources to nine times a normal working day and its customer service capacity fivefold, according to Revista Electricidad. The company also has backup batteries and generator sets for priority cases.

The utility asked customers not to touch the network or try to restore service themselves, and to report each fault through official channels so it can be handled individually. Families of electricity-dependent people who are not yet registered should sign up to receive priority care.

• App: Enel Clientes Chile.
• WhatsApp: +56 9 9444 7606.
• Call centre: 600 696 0000 or 800 800 696.
• Electricity-dependent customers: dedicated contact channels for registered customers.

If an outage drags on, there are practical steps to get through the night without power and protect the food in the fridge. We gathered them in what to do during a power outage.

When this article was published, the most intense phase had not yet begun and the SEC had not reported a count of customers affected by today's cold front. The three previous October events give an idea of what can happen to the grid:

On 13 October the worst-hit districts were Quilicura and Lampa. How to claim compensation for hours without power, and what the law says about storm outages, is explained in power outages during the storm and how to file a claim. The SEC holds that rain and wind alone are not force majeure.

Separately from the cold front, Enel had announced scheduled cuts for grid work today in parts of nine Santiago districts, lasting up to eight hours. They affect specific streets, not whole districts, according to the list published by Meganoticias:

Companies may reschedule this work because of the weather. To check whether your street is included, look up your customer number on the distributor's website or app.

The SEC and the distributors repeat the same advice before every storm. These are the main points for today:

• Charge phones, torches and power banks before the afternoon, when the heaviest rain is expected.
• Do not touch fallen cables or damaged poles, and report them to the distributor right away.
• Unplug computers and TVs during a thunderstorm to protect them from surges when power returns.
• Keep the fridge closed: a full fridge stays cold for several hours.
• If someone at home is electricity-dependent, check that their backup equipment is charged and that they are registered with the distributor.

For anyone with fuel-powered backup, the key rule is never to run it indoors or in a closed garage because of the carbon monoxide risk. Fuel use and sizing are covered in the home generator guide.

During the storm, the DMC advises taking shelter in buildings or closed vehicles, staying away from isolated trees, metal fences and open hilltops, and not using corded phones. In the foothills and mountains, where the alert also applies, the lightning risk is higher in open areas.

When is the cold front at its worst?

The DMC expects the heaviest rain on the afternoon and night of Tuesday 20 October, with thunderstorms from early morning until night in the Metropolitan, O'Higgins and Maule regions.

How much rain will fall in Santiago?

Between 25 and 35 millimetres on Tuesday in the valley of the Metropolitan Region, according to the DMC alert.

How do I report an Enel outage?

Through the Enel Clientes Chile app, by WhatsApp on +56 9 9444 7606 or via the call centre on 600 696 0000 or 800 800 696.

Am I entitled to compensation if I lose power?

Yes. Chilean law provides compensation for unauthorised interruptions, and the SEC holds that rain and wind alone are not force majeure. The amount depends on how long the outage lasts.