Three power cuts in ten days: the Port of Ciutadella cannot continue in the dark

In the 21st century, it is difficult to understand how one of Menorca’s main tourist and gastronomic areas can still be subjected to repeated electricity outages in the middle of the high season. Yet this is precisely what has been happening in recent days in the Port of Ciutadella, particularly in the area between es pont and es Pla.

On Tuesday 18 August, at 9.10 pm, when restaurants were at the busiest point of the dinner service, another power cut left several establishments without electricity. It was not an isolated incident. According to those affected, three similar outages have already occurred within just ten days in August.

The timing of these cuts makes the consequences even more serious. They happen during the busiest hours, with dining rooms full, customers waiting for tables and reservations made well in advance. Without electricity, much of a restaurant’s activity comes to a standstill: kitchens, refrigeration units, computer systems, card terminals, lighting and air conditioning stop working. In some cases, faced with the impossibility of continuing service with minimum guarantees, those responsible are forced to close.

The consequences go far beyond the turnover lost that night. Food products may spoil, equipment can be affected by repeated interruptions and restoration of the power supply and, in the case of lobster holding tanks, outages can jeopardise the systems required to keep the crustaceans alive, causing considerable losses involving a product of high economic value.

There is also the reputational damage. Many customers understand that the problem is beyond the restaurant’s control, but others react angrily and, according to restaurant owners, some even resort to insults or threats. Ultimately, it is the establishment that has to face the visitor, despite having no responsibility for the problem.

Those affected also denounce what they say is a pattern repeated every summer: the outage occurs on the busiest days and at peak times; reporting the incident by telephone is not always easy; technicians may take between two and three hours to arrive and, once on site, the problem is resolved within a few minutes. Afterwards, they say, no explanation is provided as to the causes or the measures that will be taken to prevent it from happening again.

The situation deserves a clear response. Menorca presents itself as a quality tourist destination, and the Port of Ciutadella is one of its main showcases. That quality also depends on infrastructure capable of responding at times of maximum demand.

Three power cuts in ten days cannot be dismissed as a mere anecdote. Restaurant owners cannot begin each working day glancing nervously at the electrical panel and wondering whether they will be able to complete the evening service. Uncertainty has already turned into fear, and working under these conditions, in the middle of the tourist season, is unacceptable.

Explanations, accountability and, above all, solutions are needed to ensure that the Port of Ciutadella is not left in the dark again.