Contents
Introduction:
On the afternoon of April 28, 2025, Central European Time, large areas of Spain, Portugal, and parts of France were suddenly plunged into darkness. The power of the Large-Scale Power Outage grid went down, traffic was paralyzed, and many citizens were left relying solely on radio broadcasts to understand what was happening—yes, this is no longer the 20th century, yet it occurred in today’s Europe.
The scale and impact of this event reminded me of a similar crisis that occurred in Germany in 2019. It forces us to reevaluate the risks behind the energy transitions in modern societies. Why did such a dramatic power drop occur? And how will this affect tourists who are planning to visit Europe? This article explores the possible causes behind the large-scale power outage in parts of Europe from my personal perspective.
I. The Event: A Large-Scale Power Outage in Parts of Europe
Let me first describe the severity of the event. According to a statement from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, just five seconds before the blackout, the country’s power consumption plummeted from 27,500 megawatts to 15,000 megawatts—a staggering 60% drop.
In the span of just five seconds, an entire national grid was nearly paralyzed. Millions of residents instantly lost electricity, communication systems collapsed, the internet vanished, mobile phones became useless, and society seemed to regress by several decades, with people relying on long-forgotten radio transmissions to receive updates.
Coincidentally, just over ten days before the event, Spain had shut down multiple coal-fired power plants in response to the EU’s “green transition” policy, pinning hopes on solar and wind power. However, solar and wind energy are not always reliable—sunlight is not guaranteed, nor is wind. When extreme weather occurs, such high dependence on renewable sources can become a breaking point.
The power grid is not a simple transmission system; it must maintain a dynamic balance—supply and demand must be synchronized at all times. Once this balance is lost, built-in protection mechanisms may trigger large-scale blackouts.
In theory, such events can be predicted. But in reality, when policymakers decide to retire traditional energy sources, reserve capacity disappears. Without adequate storage technologies—such as pumped hydro, hydrogen, or batteries—renewable systems are vulnerable to collapse during peak demand periods.
II. Has Europe Underestimated the Strategic Importance of Nuclear Energy? Europe’s Large-Scale Power Outage
Europe was once a global leader in nuclear energy. For decades, France relied heavily on it. But in recent years, pressure from green parties and public opinion led Germany to completely phase out nuclear energy. Spain and Belgium have also been cutting back on their nuclear programs.
This incident compels us to revisit the “denuclearization” trend in Europe. Since 2019, Germany has been dismantling its nuclear plants and moving fully toward renewables—but it has suffered repeated grid instability. Now, the events in Spain and Portugal reaffirm the crucial role that nuclear energy plays in ensuring stable electricity supply.
In stark contrast, we see China—particularly the northeastern regions—where, despite the rising share of renewables, nuclear and coal-fired power continue to serve as essential stabilizers. These traditional energy sources allow the grid to weather extreme weather and market fluctuations with minimal disruption. China’s pragmatic and balanced energy strategy is clearly worth Europe’s careful study.
But one may ask, could China face similar risks in the future? Let’s look at China’s northeastern region again: winters are harsh, electricity consumption is high, yet nuclear, coal, hydro, wind, and solar energy develop in parallel. No large-scale blackouts like those in Western Europe have occurred.
Europe’s idealistic energy policies deserve respect. But reality is no utopia. In critical moments, electricity is the lifeline of a functioning society. Without it, everything stops—not just the lights.
III. The Link Between Europe’s Large-Scale Power Outage and Sci-Fi Films
Why do I reference science fiction films here? Perhaps because this situation is eerily similar to scenes portrayed in those movies. For instance, in War for the Planet of the Apes, the conflict between apes and humans leads to societal collapse, potentially involving widespread infrastructure failure. This analogy compels us to ask: Is something similar happening in real life?
I believe that technical vulnerabilities or potential cybersecurity threats cannot be ignored. The Spanish Prime Minister’s account of a 60% electricity demand plunge within seconds is incredibly suspicious. It naturally raises concerns over a cyberattack or systemic technical failure. In today’s digital age, power systems are controlled by highly automated platforms. If those platforms are compromised, the consequences can be catastrophic—not just for Europe, but as a warning to the entire world.
More importantly, this crisis revealed the fragility of modern civilization. Imagine if our world were to lose power for just a few hours—what would our lives become? Communications would fail, transportation would come to a halt, hospitals would struggle to operate, and even access to basic supplies might trigger panic buying. It would feel as though the very fabric of civilization had been torn apart, revealing an alarmingly fragile system.
Finally, I am reminded of one of the most iconic films—Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Perhaps what we still need is the deep connection between human imagination and AI, and the ability of humanity itself to control the hidden dangers of artificial intelligence.
Conclusion:
Perhaps, as many science fiction stories have warned us over the years—the line between civilization and primitivism is but a single circuit breaker away.
