Incipient fire at San Mateo substation cuts power in Cúcuta
EIR-1187Provisional entry. CENS confirmed an incipient fire in equipment at the San Mateo substation and an unplanned outage in Cúcuta on 16 September 2026; the cause, the scale of damage, and whether supply was fully restored are not yet known. Next update: 24 September 2026.
On 16 September 2026, Centrales Eléctricas del Norte de Santander (CENS) reported an unplanned power cut in several sectors of Cúcuta after an incipient fire in equipment at the San Mateo substation. The outage also affected nearby municipalities, including Los Patios, and reports named Villa del Rosario. CENS sent specialist substation staff to inspect the site, and they were working on an alternative connection to restore supply. The cause, the extent of damage, and whether power was fully restored were not reported.
The cause of the equipment fire was not reported.
- A small fire in substation equipment can disconnect supply across a city and nearby towns before the damage is fully known.
- Operators should keep an alternative connection ready so supply can be restored while the affected substation is inspected.
- Early public updates should separate what the operator has confirmed from what is still being checked.
Published 2026-09-23. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.