Power Outage Before Cannes Film Festival Closing Ceremony Affects 160,000 Households
The 78th Cannes Film Festival is set to hold its closing ceremony, but a major power outage struck the Alpes-Maritimes region, affecting at least 160,000 households. The festival organizers activated an independent power system to ensure the event proceeds as scheduled.
On May 24, it was confirmed that multiple areas, including Cannes, experienced severe power outages. According to the French electricity transmission operator, a high voltage power tower collapsed, causing the outage, which is suspected to stem from a fire at a substation in the neighboring Var department.
This power outage disrupted local businesses, leading some to suspend operations, and caused traffic signals to fail, resulting in congestion. However, the festival venue was still operational, as organizers utilized backup generators to ensure the ceremony could take place without interruption.
