All about electricity in Curaçao
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT ELECTRICITY IN CURAÇAO
Knowing how electricity works in Curaçao is essential as when traveling to any other international destination.
Many travelers encounter surprises when visiting a new destination for the first time when they discover that they were not prepared with a power adapter, or that the current has a high value, or that in some destinations the current may suffer from programmed interruptions.
I have prepared this guide so you won’t be surprised about some curiosities about the electric current in Curaçao. Depending on the country you are coming from, the cost and use of electricity in Curaçao may be very different from your place of residence.
The mains voltage in Curaçao is 110-130 volts / 50 Hz. Generally, the default adapters on cell phones or laptops can be used without problems unless you come from a country where the voltage is much higher. However, if the voltage is lower than in your home country, your appliance will not (normally) break down, but it will not work properly. A lamp lights up half as brightly, a hair dryer or vacuum cleaner runs half as slowly. However, some electronic devices (such as a computer) cannot operate at too low a voltage, so damage is possible.
SHOULD I USE A POWER ADAPTER OR NOT?
POWER INTERRUPTIONS (“RATIONING”)
It is not uncommon for Aqualectra to make scheduled power outages in some areas of the island from time to time. Some outages are due to a too low capacity of the power plant, which means that some neighborhoods or sectors have to go without power for a few hours to reduce the electrical load. This scheduled outage changes neighborhoods/areas every few hours so as not to affect the community with long periods in a single day.
Power interruption may also be due to maintenance or power plant failures. For this reason, many companies or even private customers have opted to have a small backup plant for emergencies. This will allow the freezer, some of the lighting and, depending on the capacity of the generator, the air conditioning to continue to operate normally in the event of a power failure.
Generally, owners of apartments or studios have power sources when the property is used for tourism purposes. However, if there is a power outage in the apartment where you are staying, try not to open the refrigerator or freezer frequently. In this way, the food will be maintained for the duration of the cut.
For stationary computer users, power outages can cause damage to the device. You could lose important information. Therefore, a battery backup (UPS) is recommended. Fortunately, laptops and tablets are equipped with a battery, and therefore do not have this problem.
Note: Hotels and hospitals do not normally suffer from this problem as they have their own reservations and such outages do not affect them.
Practical advice:
If the place where you are staying suffers a power outage and you can’t wait because you have to work, you can move to places adapted with spaces to work, where you can connect your device and in most cases you will have free WIFI (in addition to central air conditioning). Examples: Sambil, chain restaurants such as Mac Cafés (Mac Donald’s), KFC, Burger King or Starbucks.
PREPAID ELECTRICITY (PAGATINU)
Many apartments and vacation villas have an electricity “recharge” system. It is called Pagatinu and consists of a prepaid electricity system.
Here’s how it works: The apartment has a device that looks like a calculator. There you can see how many kWh are available for use.
To recharge more kilowatts you can go to a gas station, supermarkets or Aqualectra branches, where you can buy electricity. To learn how to calculate the energy per day and how to recharge the Pagatinu step by step, read my guide to using the Pagatinu in Curaçao.
TIP: Air conditioning literally “eats” electrical energy. Turn off the air conditioning when it is not indispensable or when you leave the room. You will see that you will save a lot.