Preparing your home for a blackout

Key rules

• Time to plan for: Be ready to cope at home for at least 72 hours.
• 112: Call 112 only for real emergencies, so the lines stay free.
• Cash: Card payments and ATMs can fail, so keep cash in small notes.
• Stay put: Stay where you are rather than driving during a wide outage.

The short version

Plan to cope at home for at least 72 hours without power, shops working normally or a reliable phone signal. The April 2025 blackout showed how much stops at once. A small kit and a few habits cover most of it.

What to keep at home

Build one kit and keep it where you can find it in the dark.

• A battery or wind-up radio, with spare batteries.
• A torch and a charged power bank.
• Water: about 3 litres per person per day, for 72 hours.
• Non-perishable food and a manual can opener.
• A first-aid kit and your essential medication.
• Cash in small notes.
• Blankets, a whistle and hygiene items.
• Supplies for babies, elderly people and pets, if they live with you.

The checklist below turns this into steps, and the documents section covers the paper copies to keep in the kit.

What stops working in an apartment

Expect these problems, especially in a tall building:

• Lifts, electric doors, garage doors and entry phones stop. Know the stairs and keep a way to open your own door.
• Water pumps and boosters stop, so water pressure can drop or disappear on upper floors.
• Electric cookers, heating and boilers stop. Piped gas generally keeps flowing, but gas appliances with electric ignition may not light.
• Card payments and ATMs fail, so cash matters.
• Mobile and internet coverage becomes patchy or disappears as the batteries in the masts run out. Landlines that run over the internet do not work.
• Fridges warm up. Open them as little as possible.
• Traffic lights fail and the metro and trains stop.

What to do during the outage

• Stay where you are instead of driving. Roads with dead traffic lights are dangerous and transport is halted.
• Use a torch, not candles, to avoid fires.
• Keep the phone network free. Call 112 only for real emergencies.
• Check on neighbours who are elderly, ill or alone.

Where to get information

Your battery radio is the most dependable source. Radio Nacional de España is a main emergency channel. Online, follow the official accounts of Protección Civil, the Government, Red Eléctrica (the grid operator) and your regional emergency services. Your local authority and your electricity distributor also report on when power returns.

Set this up before you need it: follow the accounts now, and check that the radio works.

The official guidance may be updated, so look at the Protección Civil and Government channels for current advice.

Documents you need

• Paper copies of your important documents, kept in your emergency kit so you can reach them without power or internet.

Checklist

• Buy a battery or wind-up radio and keep spare batteries with it.

• Keep a torch and a charged power bank where you can find them in the dark.

• Store water and non-perishable food to last at least 72 hours.

• Keep cash in small notes at home, because card payments and ATMs can fail.

• Stock essential medication so you can manage for at least 72 hours.

• Stay where you are instead of driving during a wide outage.

• Use the phone network only for emergencies, and call 112 only for real emergencies.

Frequently asked questions

Will my gas hob and boiler work during a blackout?

Piped gas generally keeps flowing during a blackout, but gas appliances with electric ignition may not light. Electric cookers, heating and boilers stop completely. Keep a way to eat without cooking, such as non-perishable food and a manual can opener.

Why can I lose running water in a tall building during a blackout?

Tall buildings use electric pumps and boosters to push water upstairs, so water pressure drops when the power fails. Lifts, entry phones, electric doors and garage doors also stop. Store drinking water at home before an outage happens.

How much water should I store for a blackout?

Store about 3 litres of water per person per day for 72 hours. For a household of two, that is about 18 litres. Add extra for babies, elderly people and pets.

Can I rely on my phone and cards during a wide outage?

No, mobile coverage can be patchy or lost once the batteries of the masts run out, and card payments and ATMs can fail. Internet-based landlines also stop working. Keep cash in small notes and a battery or wind-up radio for news.