On April 28th, 2025, Portuguese and Spanish people had an unprecedented experience: they were completely “in the dark” for around 9 hours (some more, some less), from 11:33 until 20:30. The reason was a general blackout, the causes of which have yet to be ascertained, which meant that both nations could only find out what was going on via their battery-operated radios.
This event has left many wondering how ill-prepared we are for emergencies of this kind, a fact borne out by the rush for portable battery-operated radios , which were in demand by 4547% , according to data from price comparison website Kuantokusta.
Radios, powerbanks and even gas stoves
This type of battery-operated FM radio is one of the items suggested by the European Union that you should have in your Survival Kit, while portable electronic equipment chargers (known as powerbanks) are also among the most popular items on this site, which has been comparing prices since 2005.
According to the site, after the blackout that left Portugal and Spain practically without communications last Monday, the Portuguese rushed to physical stores (including us) and online to buy essential equipment capable of guaranteeing autonomy in emergency situations:
- Radios (+ 4,594%),
- Powerbanks (+ 1 728%)
- Portable stoves (+ 348%).
Other equipment searched for online
In addition to these three pieces of equipment, which were the most searched for immediately after the power was restored (late at night), generators, portable batteries, lanterns and dehydrated food were also among the main searches made by the Portuguese, which reflects how concerned we are with guaranteeing alternative means of communication, lighting and food.
According to the Kuantokusta website, it should be noted that the prices of all this equipment, despite the huge demand, remained stable , thus going against the law of supply and demand, which left many customers satisfied.
For André Duarte, KuantoKusta’s commercial director,
Faced with this situation, the Portuguese have been trying to prepare for future emergencies since Monday. The sudden rush for these items reveals not only a concern on the part of consumers about possible future failures in the electricity supply, but also an attempt to be better prepared for emergency situations.”
The blackout, which affected millions of Portuguese and Spaniards for around 10 hours, also caused severe disruption to public transport, as well as to the entire telecommunications network, with very limited or even non-existent access to the Internet and telephone calls.
While we are still trying to find the causes of this Iberian incident, it is good to know that it has at least served to rethink our preparation for future crisis situations, in the sense that we have tried to ensure greater resilience in order to be better prepared.