Cannes, France — A significant power outage disrupted southeastern France on Saturday, impacting approximately 160,000 households across the Alpes-Maritimes department and causing notable interruptions during the renowned Cannes Film Festival. The blackout began in the morning after a high-voltage transmission line fell, exacerbating the effects of an earlier fire at a nearby electrical substation. The outage created widespread challenges for residents, visitors, and the festival as organizers scrambled to maintain operations while ensuring safety.
The outage struck just hours after a fire had compromised the electrical substation near Cannes, already weakening the local grid. RTE, the French electricity transmission system operator, reported the fallen high-voltage line on its social media platform, X, confirming the scale of the disruption.
Cannes Film Festival organizers responded swiftly, assuring the public and attendees that critical venues would remain operational. The Palais des Festivals, the central hub of the event located along the iconic Croisette, transitioned to an independent power supply to keep scheduled activities and screenings running smoothly. A festival spokesperson stated, “All scheduled events and screenings, including the Closing Ceremony, will proceed as planned and under normal conditions.” Nonetheless, some satellite venues, such as the Cineum, experienced brief screening suspensions.
The power outage severely impacted daily life in Cannes and neighboring Antibes. Traffic lights ceased functioning around 10 a.m., causing widespread traffic congestion and confusion throughout the city centers. Authorities issued warnings urging motorists to exercise extreme caution at intersections to prevent accidents. With most Croisette shops closed due to the lack of electricity, local food kiosks reverted to accepting only cash, posing additional inconveniences for festival attendees and tourists accustomed to electronic payments.
Public transportation was also affected, with train services in Cannes disrupted during the outage. Commuters faced delays and uncertainty as restoration crews worked to stabilize the grid and restore power.
Electricity restoration teams have been working around the clock to repair damaged infrastructure and reinstate normal service. RTE confirmed that investigations were ongoing to determine the root cause of the line failure, with repairs progressing steadily. Authorities continue to advise residents and visitors to remain vigilant and cautious, especially when traveling through affected areas.
This outage highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure during peak demand periods and in the wake of unexpected incidents like fires. For the Cannes Film Festival, one of the most prestigious events in the global film industry, maintaining continuity despite these challenges underscored the resilience and preparedness of the organizers.
As power was gradually restored to households and businesses, the festival’s focus returned to celebrating cinematic achievements. The temporary disruptions, while frustrating, did not dampen the spirit of the event’s participants or audience.
Local officials have pledged to review the incident thoroughly and improve preventative measures to reduce the risk of future outages. Meanwhile, the community of southeastern France remains grateful for the rapid response of emergency services and utility workers who worked tirelessly to restore normalcy.
The Cannes Film Festival continues through its scheduled end, offering filmmakers and audiences alike the opportunity to engage with groundbreaking cinema amid the beauty and charm of the French Riviera. Despite the challenges posed by the power outage, the festival’s legacy of artistic excellence remains undiminished.
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