France will conduct nationwide drills to prepare for a blackout
In the second half of 2027, French authorities plan to conduct large-scale tabletop exercises to simulate a sudden nationwide power outage. In this way, the government aims to test the country’s readiness for a large-scale blackout and a potential cyberattack on the energy infrastructure.
The exercises are expected to involve power grid operators Enedis and RTE, as well as representatives from ministries, government agencies, and the military.
The main goal of the exercises will be to assess how the country would respond in the event of a large-scale power outage. French authorities will also consider a scenario involving a major cyberattack on the power grid.
One possible scenario will be a situation similar to the large-scale blackout in Spain and Portugal in 2025. Preparedness for a cyberattack similar to the one suffered by Poland will be tested separately.
During the exercises, authorities plan to assess how long it might take to restore power, as well as to test whether critical government and social services can continue to operate without electricity.
The decision to conduct these exercises was officially confirmed on July 8 at a meeting of the interagency committee on national resilience. French authorities are expected to announce the details of the scenario by the end of 2026.
Emergency preparedness has become one of the French government’s priorities amid extreme heat, large-scale wildfires, and growing risks to critical infrastructure.
France also plans to verify the availability of resources necessary for the state to function during a large-scale crisis. This includes, in particular, generators, medications, telecommunications equipment, law enforcement supplies, emergency blankets, and strategic raw materials.
Last year, the French government updated its National Resilience Strategy, which outlines the state’s course of action in the event of war, natural disasters, and other large-scale crises.
These enhanced crisis preparedness measures follow a wave of extreme heat and massive wildfires in southwestern France, which led to the evacuation of more than 200,000 people.
The French government has also announced the drafting of a bill aimed at improving the emergency response system.
The bill is designed to enhance the country’s preparedness for various threats—ranging from natural disasters to disruptions in energy infrastructure and other critical systems.
Meanwhile, the European Commission has warned Romania of possible financial consequences due to changes in the schedule for decommissioning coal-fired power plants. Officials in Brussels noted that deviating from the agreed-upon reforms could affect the country’s access to EU budget funds.
As a reminder, on the evening of August 2, 2026, Cuba experienced yet another large-scale power outage. The island, with a population of about 10 million people, was left without electricity.
As a reminder, Cuba experienced a nationwide blackout due to the collapse of its power grid.
Nearly 10 million people in Cuba were left without power due to the blackout.
Earlier, Trump spoke about the possible resumption of dialogue between the two countries. CIA Director John Ratcliffe arrived in Havana as part of the U.S. delegation.
