Massive blackout in southern France: 160,000 homes left without power

On May 24, a large-scale power outage occurred in southern France, causing serious problems for the country’s population and infrastructure. According to CNN, the outage began around 10:00 AM local time, leaving approximately 160,000 homes without electricity.

The issue also affected the Cannes International Film Festival. In coastal cities like Cannes, Antibes, and Mandelieu, as well as their surroundings, where thousands of guests are hosted daily, the disruption of power supply caused temporary difficulties for both festival participants and local residents.

Two incidents — one outage

According to RTE, the French national electricity grid operator, the outage was caused by two major incidents. The first was a fire at a high-voltage substation in Tanneron, Var department. This technical facility was temporarily taken offline.

The second incident occurred a few hours later — a power transmission tower near Lake Saint-Cassien collapsed. These two events combined to leave a large portion of the French Riviera without electricity.

Sabotage possibility — no coincidence?

Interestingly, RTE does not rule out the possibility that sabotage may have played a role in the blackout. An official investigation is currently being carried out by security services. The possibility of a targeted attack is also being considered.

It is worth noting that on April 28, widespread blackouts were recorded in Portugal, Spain, and several other European countries. The causes of those incidents remain officially unexplained.

Energy security back on the agenda

This latest event in France has once again brought energy security, infrastructure protection, and cyber-resilience to the forefront of European discussion. Especially with the start of the international festival season and peak tourism, such disruptions are drawing widespread concern.

In conclusion, the blackout in southern France not only disrupted the lives of thousands of households but also exposed systemic vulnerabilities in the energy sector. Although power has been restored, the main question remains unanswered: was it a technical fault or a deliberate act? The investigation is expected to provide clarity.