A suspected cyberattack knocked out the national power grid, prompting emergency responses and an ongoing investigation
Major cyberattack knocks out parts of the national power grid
Short version: Last night at about 20:30 local time, the national grid operator and federal agencies reported a coordinated cyber intrusion that led to widespread outages. The attack — believed to involve malware and false data fed into control systems — triggered automatic shutdowns at multiple high-voltage substations.
Rolling failures were first concentrated in the capital region and then spread to other areas, leaving millions without electricity.
What happened
Multiple high-voltage substations began receiving unauthorized commands, prompting built-in protection systems to cut power to prevent equipment damage.
The grid operator says those automatic safeties did what they were designed to do, but the result was a large-scale blackout. Emergency services scrambled to divert patients from affected hospitals, and transport networks were disrupted. Local authorities declared a state of emergency and opened temporary shelters for people facing extended outages and loss of heating.
Who’s responding
Federal cyber teams, national intelligence units and private contractors have been called in to investigate. Investigators have already seized system logs and forensic data from impacted sites and are scanning for signs that malicious code still lingers on the network. Work is being coordinated closely with the grid operator to prioritise critical infrastructure and avoid destabilising the system further during recovery.
What officials say — and what to expect
Officials warn that restoring power will be a staged process. Crews are bringing systems back online cautiously to prevent cascading failures, so some communities could be without power for hours or possibly days depending on the extent of the damage and any persistent threats. A briefing by the energy minister is scheduled to update the public, and authorities say they will release more technical findings as soon as they are verified.
Practical advice for the public
Authorities urge people to follow official guidance: avoid nonessential travel where transport services are affected, check on vulnerable neighbours, and use emergency services only for urgent needs so resources remain available for critical cases. Keep phones charged if possible, conserve battery power, and listen for updates from local emergency channels.
Ongoing investigation
The probe is active and evolving. Teams are focused on determining how the intruders gained access and whether recovery operations have fully removed the threat. Federal investigators say they will provide further updates through the grid operator and emergency authorities as the situation develops.
