The "blackout" and the resilience of critical structures
Reports7 May 2025
The incident temporarily collapsed public and private systems, highlighting the urgency of having contingency plans, energy backup and cyber security measures in place. European legislation provides a key framework to address these risks and mitigate their effects.
A failure in Red Eléctrica's infrastructure caused a blackout that affected the entire Iberian Peninsula and the south of France, temporarily collapsing the systems of numerous public and private entities. The incident highlights the importance of reinforcing digital resilience through cybersecurity by means of prepared systems, contingency plans, energy backup and physical protection measures. Although the blackout was unforeseeable, its effects could have been mitigated. European cybersecurity regulations provide a solid framework for improving preparedness for this type of risk.
Information note prepared by our experts in the Data Protection and Cybersecurity area of ECIJA Madrid.
