Spain's blackout emergency kit
For a long power cut, Catalonia's government and the Madrid region ask for the same core kit: a torch, a battery radio, a power bank, water, cash and your usual medicines. Andalusia's 112 service adds bottles of water in the freezer. Here is the list for Spain, with what happened on 28 April 2025. Emergencies: 112.
28 April 2025
At 12:33:30 on 28 April 2025 the voltage on the Iberian Peninsula fell to zero, and the Spanish and Portuguese grids disconnected from the European system. That is the timeline in the analysis committee's report, which the government presented on 17 June 2025.
At 22:30 that day, nearly half of demand was still without power. The kit is for those hours.
How the power came back
The restoration, from the government's report.
| Time | What happened |
|---|---|
| 28 Apr, 12:33:30 | Zero voltage across the peninsula |
| 28 Apr, 22:30 | Nearly 50% of demand back on supply |
| 29 Apr, 00:30 | Madrid fully restored |
| 29 Apr, 07:00 | 99.95% of supply restored |
Source: non-confidential report of the 28-A analysis committee (in Spanish), La Moncloa. Power came back through electrical islands: Catalonia and the Basque Country with support from France, the south with support from Morocco.
The blackout kit
Spain has no national list just for blackouts. These are the items the regions and 112 ask for, put together.
| What to keep | Who asks for it | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Torch with spare batteries | Catalonia, Madrid region | Or a head torch |
| Battery or wind-up radio | Catalonia, Madrid region | Gets official alerts even when power or phone networks are down |
| Power bank or solar charger | Catalonia, Madrid region | With your phone charger |
| A spare mobile phone | Madrid region | On top of your own |
| Drinking water | Catalonia, Madrid region | At least 1.5 litres per person per day (Catalonia) |
| Food that needs no cooking | Catalonia, Madrid region | Long-life and ready to eat |
| Cash | Catalonia, Madrid region | And a bank card |
| Blanket or warm clothes | Madrid region | In case it is cold |
| Usual medicines and a first-aid kit | Catalonia, Madrid region | Including long-term medication |
| Bottles of water in the freezer | 112 Andalusia | They help keep the cold in |
Sources: emergency kit page, Generalitat de Catalunya (updated 26 Feb 2026); emergency kit page, Comunidad de Madrid (updated 30 Oct 2026); 112 advice, Junta de Andalucía (28 Apr 2025). All in Spanish. Water for your household: water calculator.
If someone relies on a device
It is the first thing Andalusia's 112 names.
- Make an emergency plan if anyone at home is connected to an electrical device, so they stay cared for without power.
- Call 112 at once if the power goes while a vulnerable person at home is on hospital equipment.
- Put support items in the kit, as Catalonia asks: glasses, hearing aid and its batteries, breathing device.
- Medicines kept in the fridge follow the same rule as food: anything that lost the cold chain gets thrown out.
When the power goes
Madrid's fire brigade and 112 put it in this order.
01Check whether it is general
- See if the stairwell and lift lights, your neighbours' homes and the buildings next door have gone dark too.
- If it is only your home, check the fuse box: the main switch may need resetting. Do it with shoes on and dry hands.
- If it is general, phone your electricity company.
02Switch off and leave one light on
- Switch off the appliances and switches you had on.
- Leave a single light on as a pilot, so you know when the power is back.
- Lower demand helps restore the service, says Madrid's fire brigade.
03Fridge shut, radio on
- Open the fridge and freezer as little as you can, so they hold the cold longer.
- Follow the news and what the authorities say on the battery radio, as Madrid's fire brigade asks.
- If you are stuck in a lift, stay calm, press the emergency button and call for help.
Source: 112 Andalusia, blackout advice
Fridge food and medicines
Andalusia's 112 rule for when the power comes back.
| What | What to do |
|---|---|
| Food in the fridge and freezer | Check its condition |
| Anything above 4 °C for more than two hours | Throw it out |
| Medicines that lost the cold chain | Throw them out too |
Source: 112 Andalusia (in Spanish), 28 Apr 2025. How long each food lasts: what to do in a power outage.
When the power comes back
Three things, from Andalusia's 112.
- Check appliances that were left plugged in, heaters above all.
- Go through the fridge food and medicines with the table above.
- Replace the candles, batteries and power banks you used, so the kit is ready for next time.
If you lost food or appliances
The consumer offices of Catalonia and Madrid published this after the blackout.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Electricity bill | The company must deduct the time without service from your next bills |
| Proof | Keep receipts, photos and any document that shows the damage |
| Home insurance | Check whether it covers spoiled food or damaged appliances |
| Deadline with the insurer | 7 calendar days from learning of the damage, unless your policy gives longer |
Sources: Agència Catalana del Consum (29 Apr 2025, in Catalan) and Comunidad de Madrid, Consumo (29 Apr 2025, in Spanish).
Questions people ask
What goes in a blackout emergency kit in Spain?
A torch with spare batteries, a battery or wind-up radio, a power bank, water, food that needs no cooking, cash, a blanket and your usual medicines.
How much water per person?
Catalonia's government asks for at least 1.5 litres per person per day.
How long did the 28 April 2025 blackout last?
It began at 12:33. By 7:00 on the 29th, 99.95% of supply was back, according to the government's report.
Do I call 112 when the power goes?
For a general blackout, Andalusia's 112 says to tell your electricity company or the emergency services. Call 112 at once if someone at home is on a medical device.
Candles or a torch?
A torch. Catalonia's government advises against candles.
Read next
Sources
- Government of Spain, La Moncloa: non-confidential report of the committee analysing the 28 April electricity crisis (PDF, in Spanish) Time of zero voltage and the restoration. Presented 17 Jun 2025, read 11 Nov 2026.
- Generalitat de Catalunya, Interior: Kit de emergencias (in Spanish) Basic kit; 1.5 litres per person per day. Updated 26 Feb 2026.
- Generalitat de Catalunya, Interior: Protección civil para gente mayor (in Spanish) A torch over candles.
- Comunidad de Madrid, ASEM 112: Kit de emergencias (in Spanish) Updated 30 Oct 2026.
- Junta de Andalucía: emergency plan raised to Situation 2 for the blackout (in Spanish) 112 advice before, during and after. 28 Apr 2025.
- Madrid City Council fire brigade: En un apagón (in Spanish)
- Agència Catalana del Consum: Recomanacions per la gran apagada (in Catalan) 29 Apr 2025.
- Comunidad de Madrid, Consumo: what to do if the great blackout affected you (in Spanish) 29 Apr 2025.