The blackout that affected Spain, France, and Portugal has unleashed a wave of reactions on social media, where hypotheses about the causes are rapidly multiplying.
Alongside the more plausible explanations, such as a technical fault or human error, conspiracy theories are emerging, evoking unsettling scenarios.
The Conspiracy Theories:
* Technical tests for blackouts: Some users on social media suggest that the blackout could be a kind of “dress rehearsal” for large-scale power outages, similar to those that have occurred in Ukraine and Palestine.
These theories often invoke scenarios of geopolitical instability and international conflicts, insinuating that a preparation for future events lies behind the incident.
* Hacker attack: The hypothesis of a cyberattack is among the most popular. In an era of increasing digitalization and interconnection of energy networks,
vulnerability to cyberattacks is a concrete fear. Some users speculate that a hostile actor may have orchestrated the blackout to destabilize the affected countries.
* “They’re not telling us everything”: Another line of thought on social media argues that the authorities are not revealing the true cause of the blackout. This distrust in official versions fuels speculation about hidden motives and scenarios more complex than what has been publicly stated.
The More Likely Explanations:
Beyond the conspiracy theories, initial investigations seem to point towards a technical fault. Both the Spanish (Red Eléctrica) and Portuguese (REN) electricity grid operators have spoken of a problem originating in the Spanish network, possibly linked to a sudden increase in voltage or a rare atmospheric phenomenon that caused synchronization errors in the system.
The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) has stated that initial analyses suggest a technical fault rather than a cyberattack, while continuing to monitor the situation closely.
Blackouts in Ukraine and Palestine: Different Contexts:
It is important to distinguish the blackout in Spain, France, and Portugal from the blackouts that have affected Ukraine and Palestine. In Ukraine, power outages have often been a direct consequence of Russian military attacks on energy infrastructure.
In Palestine, blackouts have been caused by both conflicts and disruptions in the energy supply. These contexts are significantly different from what appears to be a technical incident in Europe.
While investigations into the causes of the blackout are still ongoing, it is crucial to approach information with a critical eye, distinguishing between unverified hypotheses and concrete data.
The spread of conspiracy theories on social media is a common phenomenon in situations of uncertainty, but it is important to rely on reliable sources to understand the true nature of the event. At present, the most credible hypothesis remains that of a technical fault of still uncertain origin.