Massive power outage strikes The Hague, over 32,000 lose electricity

A major power outage early Saturday morning left more than 32,000 people in The Hague without electricity, disrupting homes, streetlights, and traffic signals across multiple neighborhoods, officials said. The outage lasted approximately two hours, with full service restored by 7:15 a.m.

According to AD, the outage began around 5:30 a.m. after a transformer failed at a high-voltage station on Tomatenstraat, according to Stedin, the city’s energy network operator. Areas affected included the Bomen-en Bloemenbuurt, Vogelwijk, Bohemen en Meer en Bos, Kijkduin, Ockenburgh, and Waldeck.

“The transformer broke down, causing the power failure,” a Stedin spokesperson said. “We were able to reroute the connection, and by 7:15 a.m., everyone had power restored.” Emergency services and Stedin personnel were on site at the high-voltage station during the disruption.

Earlier reports indicated that the outage followed a fire at a Stedin building on Appelstraat, which was reported at 6:05 a.m. The blaze allegedly contributed to widespread power disruptions, impacting not only residential customers but also traffic lights and public lighting throughout the city.

“The fire caused a substantial power outage in the surrounding area,” a Stedin spokesperson said. “We are examining what exactly happened.”