Power outage strikes early competition at the Olympics due to ‘energy-related issue’

A curling match at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games was affected briefly.

By Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American *Journalism Review* and *The Shreveport Times*.

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February 5, 2026 6:21 p.m. ET

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A lightened look at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium during the power outage. Credit:

Luo Yunfei/China News Service/VCG via Getty

The start to the 2026 Winter Olympics was not the smoothest.

While the Opening Ceremony for the Milan Cortina Games isn't until Friday, the first of the curling competitions set to take place began Wednesday. But the action on the ice stopped briefly, when the power went out.

The lights went low and flickered, while the lights and the heat in a media center nearby went out, according to the Associated Press.

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In the moment, the matches were halted by officials, although competitors stayed on the ice so they would be prepared when the power — and the contest — was back on.

The AP reported that Olympic organizers confirmed that there had been a "brief interruption to competition due to an energy-related issue" that lasted about three minutes.

A training session for athletes participating in a training session for the luge competition was also affected, having been delayed 30 minutes.

It was one of the first of what will undoubtedly be countless unscripted moments at the international event featuring thousands of athletes from dozens of countries. About 2,900 athletes from more than 80 National Olympic Committees are participating in the games this year, according to the International Olympic Committee.

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The much-anticipated Opening Ceremony is when many will be watching, regardless of their favorite sport.

That is, of course, when audiences will see the athletes all together, regardless of sport, in the Parade of Nations, as well as the lighting of the Olympic cauldron by torchbearers including *Heated Rivalry* stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams.

Grammy-winning singer (and unofficial "Queen of Christmas") Mariah Carey will headline the concert.

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Samir Hussein/WireImage

The "Always Be My Baby" singer leads a lineup of international stars for the global event.

Several Italian artists, such as Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, Ghali, and Cecilia Bartoli, as well as Chinese pianist Lang Lang, will also take the stage.

The 2026 Winter Olympics are airing now through Feb. 22 on NBC and Peacock.**

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Source: “AOL Olympic”