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Spain, Portugal and part of France suffer greatly blackout in Europe this Monday (28). Official cause is rare atmospheric phenomenon; link with solar storm is being investigated.
Attention: A major blackout occurred in Europe today, Monday, April 28, 2025. Spain, Portugal and parts of France were left in the dark for hours. Cities came to a standstill, transportation was affected and millions of people were impacted. The cause, according to authorities, was a very rare atmospheric phenomenon.
On Monday morning (28), around noon local time, a large-scale outage occurred. The electricity supply was interrupted. It mainly affected Spain, Portugal and regions of France. Entire cities quickly went dark. Trains and subways were stopped and evacuated. Airports faced riots and delays. Traffic lights were out and caused traffic chaos. The daily lives of millions were deeply affected. The dependence on electricity became evident.
Cause revealed: Atmospheric-induced vibration hits power grid
Initially, it was thought to be a common technical failure or overload. However, investigations pointed in another direction. The cause of the blackout in Europe It was not a problem in power generation. It was a rare phenomenon: induced atmospheric vibration.
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REN, Portugal's electricity grid operator, has detected abnormal fluctuations in its 400.000-volt high-voltage power lines. The fluctuations were not related to strong winds, storms or excess demand.
How the atmosphere made the cables vibrate
Atmospheric-induced vibration occurs due to sudden changes in the atmosphere. Sudden changes in temperature and high humidity are factors. The presence of micro-electrical discharges in the air also contributes. This instability interacts with the electric field of high-voltage cables. It creates pressure waves that cause the cables to vibrate irregularly.
This abnormal vibration can cause excessive physical stress on structures. It can damage wires, break insulators or generate electrical disturbances. In highly interconnected networks, such as the European one, these faults spread quickly. To avoid a total collapse, operators perform automatic load shedding. They strategically shut down parts of the system.
Did solar storm increase blackout in Europe? Hypothesis under investigation
At the same time, the hypothesis of external influence has emerged. A solar storm could have amplified the anomalous atmospheric conditions. This possibility is still under official investigation. Experts are closely monitoring the Sun's activity. The Sun is currently in a cycle of maximum activity (Solar Cycle 25).
Solar storms are explosions that release charged particles (solar wind). When they reach Earth, they can cause geomagnetic storms. Intense events can induce electrical currents in power grids. This can lead to overloads and blackouts, as occurred in Quebec, Canada, in 1989. Recent solar activity is suspected to have contributed to the blackout in Europe.
Brazil at risk? Our vulnerabilities to similar events
Events like the blackout in Europe Could this happen in Brazil? The answer is yes, although the context is different. Brazil has already had significant blackouts. The one in 2001 was caused by drought and planning failures. In 2023, there were regional blackouts in the North and Northeast due to problems with transmission lines.
Our energy matrix is mostly renewable (hydroelectric, wind, solar). This brings vulnerabilities: droughts affect hydroelectric plants, calm weather affects wind power, clouds affect solar power. Furthermore, Brazil has a vast territory. Requires long transmission lines, which are more vulnerable to failure. Intense solar storms could also affect Brazil, damaging sensitive equipment and communications systems.
