The disruption was due to multiple power dips caused by pollution on the high-voltage equipment of the Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO/ADMIE). The power dips had been occurring over the past few days without visible impacts on the transmission and distribution network.

However, the recent increase in humidity exacerbated the situation, leading to a fault in the medium-voltage network of Hellenic Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO/DEDDIE). This caused a “mini blackout” in the suburban railway system, affecting the Hellenic Railways Organization’s (OSE) Control Center and traffic lights on major city arteries.

The power issues led to interruptions in the suburban railway services, specifically in the route sections between SKA (Ano Liosia – Piraeus – Airport). This disruption also caused failures in remote traffic control systems, resulting in significant delays and cancellations of train schedules.

The incident sparked a blame game between network operators, leaving passengers facing severe inconvenience due to the halted suburban railway services. Traffic issues on the roads have been gradually resolved as power was restored and systems were brought back online.