A widespread power outage disrupted life across Bali on Friday, throwing parts of Indonesia’s top tourist destination into temporary chaos.

The blackout affected several areas on the island, leading to traffic congestion, long queues at the airport, and disruptions to daily activities, according to state power company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN).

Despite the outage, Ngurah Rai International Airport remained operational. Inbound and outbound flights continued as scheduled, the airport’s management confirmed via Instagram. However, social media posts showed long lines forming at check-in counters, likely due to reduced power in terminal systems.

PLN officials said they are still investigating the cause of the blackout.

“The recovery process is currently being carried out gradually,”
— PLN spokesperson I Wayan Eka Susana

Photos and videos shared online showed stalled traffic at major intersections, with some traffic lights out of service. Locals and tourists alike reported minor disruptions, though no major incidents were immediately linked to the outage.

Bali, often dubbed the crown jewel of Indonesian tourism, welcomed over 6.3 million foreign visitors last year alone. The outage, while temporary, served as a reminder of the island’s heavy reliance on steady infrastructure to keep both tourism and daily life running smoothly.

Authorities are urging patience as restoration efforts continue and have promised updates as more information becomes available.

Source: CNN – Blackout in Bali as Indonesian tourist haven hit by power outage

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A rare and widespread blackout swept across Spain and Portugal on Monday, disrupting life for tens of millions and raising fresh concerns about the stability of Europe’s interconnected energy grid.

Around 12:30 p.m. local time, Spain lost 15 gigawatts of electricity—roughly 60% of its national demand—leaving major cities and rural areas alike in the dark. The blackout lasted well into the night and affected essential services like hospitals, public transportation, cell networks, and businesses across both countries.

Portugal experienced similar outages, marking one of the most significant electricity failures in Europe in recent memory.

New data suggests the grid may have shown early signs of trouble. Bob Marshall, CEO of U.S.-based Whisker Labs, reported abnormal voltage fluctuations from power sensors installed in homes around Madrid starting as early as 9:30 a.m.

By noon, the instability had worsened dramatically, with voltage swinging wildly every 1.5 seconds. “The grid was struggling. Something was wrong,” said Marshall.

The exact cause remains unclear. Spain’s grid operator, Red Eléctrica de España, confirmed two key “disconnection events” occurred prior to the outage. The first was recoverable—but the second triggered a cascade that also impacted France’s grid connection.

“It’s too early to pinpoint one root cause,” said Eamonn Lannoye of the Electric Power Research Institute. Factors like grid maintenance, technical failures, or a sudden imbalance in supply and demand could all be in play.

Power grids operate on a delicate balance between supply and demand. Even slight mismatches can destabilize the system. If one area goes down, the failure can ripple outward, affecting neighboring regions—even across borders.

“It’s like riding a tandem bike,” explained energy law professor Enric Bartlett. “Everyone must pedal in sync. Otherwise, you fall.”

Spain and Portugal both generate a majority of their electricity from renewable sources. While this is generally seen as a strength, the intermittent nature of solar and wind can pose challenges if not properly balanced with stored or backup energy.

Still, experts caution against blaming green energy for the blackout. “There’s no clear evidence yet that solar power caused the outage,” said Lannoye. “We shouldn’t jump to conclusions.”

Because Europe’s energy systems are highly connected, Spain’s grid failure triggered protective shutdowns in neighboring countries. France, which shares a major power link with Spain, experienced some disruptions after the interconnector between the two nations tripped during the outage.

Both Spain and Portugal have ruled out a cyberattack as the cause. Spain’s High Court has launched an investigation to get to the bottom of what went wrong.

As more details emerge, one thing is clear: even in regions not typically prone to blackouts, power grids are complex, sensitive systems. Monday’s outage serves as a stark reminder of the challenges in managing modern energy infrastructure—especially as the world transitions to cleaner but more variable sources of power.

Source: AP News – What we know about Monday’s sweeping power outage in Spain and Portugal

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Power out for all 1.4 million customers as residents brace for days without electricity or water

Puerto Rico was plunged into darkness on Wednesday after an island-wide blackout struck just as locals and tourists prepared for the Easter weekend. All 1.4 million power customers across the U.S. territory lost electricity, leaving homes, businesses, and key infrastructure offline.

“The entire island is without generation,” confirmed Hugo Sorrentini, spokesperson for Luma Energy, the company responsible for Puerto Rico’s power transmission and distribution.

The outage hit at one of the worst possible times. Hotels were nearing capacity with thousands of visitors vacationing on the island. With no power, at least 78,000 residents also lost access to water, and officials warned it could take 48 to 72 hours before full restoration.

The blackout caused widespread disruption. Streets in San Juan were gridlocked as police directed traffic at intersections with no working lights. Rapid transit riders were forced to walk along the tracks. Malls—including the largest in the Caribbean—shut down, and professional baseball and basketball games were canceled. Businesses fired up backup generators, filling the air with noise and smoke.

Many residents, already used to unreliable power, were angry and exhausted.

“This is unacceptable,” said Josué Colón, Puerto Rico’s energy chief and former head of the Electric Power Authority.

At a bar in the capital, 68-year-old Orlando Huertas didn’t hold back:

“This is a total disaster,” he said. “The government isn’t doing enough.”

Thousands without generators scrambled to buy ice and supplies. Carmen Suriel, a mother of two—including a baby and a child with Down syndrome—was especially distressed.

“I’m desperate. My generator is broken,” she said as temperatures soared.

Others, like 69-year-old Alma Ramírez, are tired of replacing appliances damaged by surges and outages.

“They have to improve,” she said. “It’s always the poor who suffer.”

The cause of the massive failure wasn’t immediately clear. Genera PR, the company overseeing power generation, said a disturbance in the transmission system occurred shortly after noon—an especially vulnerable time for the grid due to limited frequency regulation.

By late Wednesday, some progress had been made: between 5,000 to 7,000 customers had power back, though officials cautioned those numbers could shift.

Puerto Rico’s acting governor, Verónica Ferraiuoli, confirmed that the White House has offered assistance. Meanwhile, the island’s representative in Congress, Pablo José Hernández, pledged to push Washington for more support.

“The electric grid crisis is frustrating, and after years of blackouts, it feels like it’s going from bad to worse,” he said.

Puerto Rico’s fragile electric grid has been in crisis since Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017. The storm crippled aging infrastructure that hadn’t seen proper maintenance or investment for decades.

Today, the island’s energy mix still leans heavily on fossil fuels:

• 62% from petroleum-fired plants
• 24% from natural gas
• 8% from coal
• Just 7% from renewables, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

While nearly 117,000 homes and businesses now have solar rooftops, most residents still rely on the unstable central grid. The poverty rate on the island hovers above 40%, and many simply can’t afford solar or backup systems.

Efforts to modernize the grid began under former President Biden’s administration, with resources like mega generators being sent to the island. But with U.S. politics shifting and a possible Trump return, experts fear progress could stall.

This latest blackout—Puerto Rico’s second major one in just a few months—has renewed public pressure to cancel the contracts with Luma and Genera PR, and calls for meaningful reform are growing louder.

Source: CNN – Island-wide blackout hits Puerto Rico as residents prepare for Easter weekend

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