Exploring the biggest blackouts in history

On November 9, 1965, a faulty relay at Sir Adam Beck Station in Ontario, Canada, caused the Northeast blackout. The power outage affected about 30 million people in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Vermont in the US, and Quebec and Ontario in Canada.

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Northeast United States and Canada,1965 -

The blackout hit New York City during rush hour, and about 800,000 people were using the subway at the time and had to be evacuated. Power came back after 13 (long) hours.

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Thailand, 1978 -

On March 18, 1978, a failure at the South Pranakhorn Powerplant in Samut Prakan plunged the whole country into darkness. The power outage lasted over nine hours, and remains the biggest blackout in Thailand's history.

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Canada, 1989 -

On March 13, 1989, a geomagnetic storm caused the entire province of Quebec to go without electrical power for 12 hours.

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Canada, 1989 -

The rare celestial event plunged about six million people into darkness, affecting thousands of businesses as well as major transport systems, including Montreal Metro and Dorval Airport.

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Brazil, 1999 -

On March 11, 1999, lightening struck an electricity substation, shutting down what was then the biggest power plant in the world—Itaipu in southern Brazil.

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Brazil, 1999 -

Approximately 97 million people were affected by the power outage, which lasted 103 days. Police were deployed across major cities to prevent looting and muggings.

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India, 2001 -

On January 12, 2001, India's northern grid collapsed after the failure of an Uttar Pradesh substation. The power outage affected an estimated 226 million people (about a quarter of India's population at the time).

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India, 2001 -

Business losses amounted to about US$107.1 million, according to estimations by the Confederation of Indian Industry. The blackout lasted for 12 hours.

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United States and Canada, 2003 -

The Northeast blackout of 2003 started on August 14 and didn't end until seven hours later for some, and four days later for others, depending on location. The power outage affected eight Northeastern US states, as well as Southeast Canada.

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United States and Canada, 2003 -

An estimated 50 million people were affected by the blackout, with financial damages amounting to US$6 billion.

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Italy, 2003 -

On September 28, 2003, around 57 million people—nearly the entire population of Italy—were affected by a major power outage.

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Italy, 2003 -

The blackout was caused by a fault on the Swiss power system, close to the border with Italy. It took 12 hours for the Italian peninsula to restore power.

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Bali and Java, Indonesia, 2005 -

On August 18, 2005, around 100 million people (half of the country's population) found themselves without electricity for nearly 11 hours.

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Bali and Java, Indonesia, 2005 -

A failure in a transmission line cut electricity supply and caused the system to shut down.

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Europe, 2006 -

On November 4, 2006, about 10-15 million Europeans were affected by a massive power outage, after a German power company switched off a high-voltage line across the River Ems so that a cruise ship could pass through.

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Europe, 2006 -

The blackout affected people in Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal. The power grids of several other countries were also affected, including those of Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, Czechia, Greece, and as far as Morocco.

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China, 2008 -

About 4.6 million people in and around the Chinese city of Chenzhou had no electricity for approximately two weeks, starting on January 24. The power outage was caused by severe winter storms.

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China, 2008 -

Sadly, the blackout occurred during the celebrations of the Chinese New Year. The severe weather not only left millions without power, but it also destroyed many infrastructures, leaving many in the dark and cold, without access to water at home.

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Brazil and Paraguay, 2009 -

On November 10, 2019, Brazil and Paraguay suffered a blackout. This was reportedly caused by a failure of the Itaipu Dam on the Paraguay-Brazil border two days earlier.

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Brazil and Paraguay, 2009 -

There was suspicion of hackers having caused the power outage, but a Wikileaks document refuted the suspicions. It took 10 days for power to be fully restored.

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India, 2012 -

On July 30, 2012, India experienced what is (thus far) the biggest blackout in history. It is estimated that about 670 million people (roughly 9% of the world's population) were affected.

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India, 2012 -

The collapse of India's interconnected northern power grids, reportedly caused by overloading and human error, led to the massive power outage. The blackout lasted for two days.

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Bangladesh, 2014 -

On November 1, 2014, about 150 million people (roughly 85% of the population) in Bangladesh were without electricity for up to 10 hours.

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Pakistan, 2015 -

On January 25, 2015, pro-independence separatists destroyed two transmission towers, cutting off power to some 140 million people.

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Pakistan, 2015 -

The blackout affected 80% of the country's population, including those in major cities and the capital, Islamabad.

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Turkey, 2015 -

Turkey was plunged into darkness after a power plant failure on March 31, 2015. It's estimated that over 70 million people were affected by the blackout, and damages amounted to at least US$700 million.

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Turkey, 2015 -

A cyber attack was suspected, but the claim was dismissed after an investigation. Power was restored within approximately eight hours.

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Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, 2019 -

On June 16, 2019, a power outage plunged three South American countries into darkness. The incident was caused by an operative error by transmission lines operator Transener.

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Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, 2019 -

An estimated 48 million people were affected by the blackout. By June 17, power had been restored.

Sources: (Mental Floss) (The Guardian) (Union of Concerned Scientists) (the Blackout report)

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Northeast United States and Canada,1965 -

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Northeast United States and Canada,1965 -

The blackout hit New York City during rush hour, and about 800,000 people were using the subway at the time and had to be evacuated. Power came back after 13 (long) hours.

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Thailand, 1978 -

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Canada, 1989 -

On March 13, 1989, a geomagnetic storm caused the entire province of Quebec to go without electrical power for 12 hours.

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Canada, 1989 -

The rare celestial event plunged about six million people into darkness, affecting thousands of businesses as well as major transport systems, including Montreal Metro and Dorval Airport.

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Brazil, 1999 -

On March 11, 1999, lightening struck an electricity substation, shutting down what was then the biggest power plant in the world—Itaipu in southern Brazil.

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Brazil, 1999 -

Approximately 97 million people were affected by the power outage, which lasted 103 days. Police were deployed across major cities to prevent looting and muggings.

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India, 2001 -

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India, 2001 -

Business losses amounted to about US$107.1 million, according to estimations by the Confederation of Indian Industry. The blackout lasted for 12 hours.

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United States and Canada, 2003 -

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United States and Canada, 2003 -

An estimated 50 million people were affected by the blackout, with financial damages amounting to US$6 billion.

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Italy, 2003 -

On September 28, 2003, around 57 million people—nearly the entire population of Italy—were affected by a major power outage.

Getty Images

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Italy, 2003 -

The blackout was caused by a fault on the Swiss power system, close to the border with Italy. It took 12 hours for the Italian peninsula to restore power.

Getty Images

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Bali and Java, Indonesia, 2005 -

On August 18, 2005, around 100 million people (half of the country's population) found themselves without electricity for nearly 11 hours.

Getty Images

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Bali and Java, Indonesia, 2005 -

A failure in a transmission line cut electricity supply and caused the system to shut down.

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Europe, 2006 -

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Europe, 2006 -

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China, 2008 -

About 4.6 million people in and around the Chinese city of Chenzhou had no electricity for approximately two weeks, starting on January 24. The power outage was caused by severe winter storms.

Getty Images

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China, 2008 -

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Brazil and Paraguay, 2009 -

On November 10, 2019, Brazil and Paraguay suffered a blackout. This was reportedly caused by a failure of the Itaipu Dam on the Paraguay-Brazil border two days earlier.

Getty Images

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Brazil and Paraguay, 2009 -

There was suspicion of hackers having caused the power outage, but a Wikileaks document refuted the suspicions. It took 10 days for power to be fully restored.

Getty Images

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India, 2012 -

On July 30, 2012, India experienced what is (thus far) the biggest blackout in history. It is estimated that about 670 million people (roughly 9% of the world's population) were affected.

Getty Images

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India, 2012 -

The collapse of India's interconnected northern power grids, reportedly caused by overloading and human error, led to the massive power outage. The blackout lasted for two days.

Getty Images

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Bangladesh, 2014 -

On November 1, 2014, about 150 million people (roughly 85% of the population) in Bangladesh were without electricity for up to 10 hours.

Getty Images

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Pakistan, 2015 -

On January 25, 2015, pro-independence separatists destroyed two transmission towers, cutting off power to some 140 million people.

Getty Images

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Pakistan, 2015 -

The blackout affected 80% of the country's population, including those in major cities and the capital, Islamabad.

Getty Images

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Turkey, 2015 -

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Turkey, 2015 -

A cyber attack was suspected, but the claim was dismissed after an investigation. Power was restored within approximately eight hours.

Getty Images

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Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, 2019 -

On June 16, 2019, a power outage plunged three South American countries into darkness. The incident was caused by an operative error by transmission lines operator Transener.

Getty Images

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Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, 2019 -

An estimated 48 million people were affected by the blackout. By June 17, power had been restored.

Sources: (Mental Floss) (The Guardian) (Union of Concerned Scientists) (the Blackout report)

Getty Images

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Exploring the biggest blackouts in history

These power outages affected millions of people

23/09/24 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Electricity

It's safe to say that the vast majority of humankind relies on electricity for energy. Electric power does have a really big impact on our lives, from turning on the lights that allow us to see in the dark, to communications and transport, to name just a few. It's hard to imagine a world without electricity, and, when power outages do occur, they indeed have a significant impact on daily life and even the economy.

Blackouts do, however, happen, and many have caused significant damage and distress to entire nations. In this gallery, we revisit some of the biggest blackouts in history. Click on to learn more.