When Europe Goes Dark: A Lesson for Quebec and Canada

On April 28, 2025, a massive power outage struck Spain, Portugal, and southern France, plunging tens of millions of citizens into darkness. The consequences were immediate: halted subways, hospitals in emergency mode, telecommunications down, economic disruption, and widespread confusion. Although this incident happened abroad, it serves as a wake-up call for all Canadian organizations.

The question is not if such an event could happen here, but when—and how well you’re prepared.

This article invites you to assess your organization’s readiness: would you be equipped to handle such a shock? We also provide a few starting points to help strengthen your resilience.

A Society Dependent on Five Vital Pillars

In our interconnected and digital world, organizations rely on invisible yet essential foundations. These pillars support the daily operations of our businesses, services, and society at large. When just one of them is compromised, the entire ecosystem can begin to falter. Below are the five core levers underpinning our collective operations—along with concrete examples of dependencies and the impacts of their interruption on organizations.

1. Energy (especially electricity)

Electricity is the backbone of nearly every economic and social activity. Without it, even the most basic operations become inaccessible—whether in a factory, a hospital, or a simple office.

Examples of dependency:

• Powering buildings, production machines, servers, medical equipment
• Electrified transportation (trains, trams, EV charging)

Impacts on businesses during outages:

• Halted operations, data loss
• Reliance on generators (which can also fail)
• Major financial losses, especially in manufacturing or food sectors

Real case: In April 2023, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital in Montreal experienced a power outage combined with water infiltration and violent winds. Backup generators failed to start despite regular testing. This highly publicized case is a brutal reminder: even redundant systems can fail. This happens frequently in private companies—without making the headlines.

2. Telecommunications and the Internet

Beyond electricity, the ability to transmit information and stay connected with stakeholders is critical to modern business operations.

Examples of dependency:

• Internal/external communication, online banking, remote work
• Remote monitoring, alarm systems, cloud-based data access

Impacts on businesses during outages:

• Loss of coordination among teams and suppliers
• Inability to serve clients or manage orders
• Reputational damage, especially for public or financial services

3. Technology (IT systems and automation)

IT systems and automated technologies are the brain and memory of organizations. Without them, decision-making, planning, and task execution become nearly impossible.

Examples of dependency:

• ERP, CRM, inventory or production management software
• Industrial robots, AI, data processing systems

Impacts on businesses during outages:

• Halted production or distribution chains
• Loss of critical data and traceability
• Major slowdown in decision-making capabilities

4. Access to Potable Water

Potable water is not just a basic human need—it’s also essential for many industrial and operational support processes.

Examples of dependency:

• Cooling or HVAC systems
• Industrial processes (e.g., food processing, pharmaceuticals)

Impacts on businesses during outages:

• Shutdown of critical operations
• Health and safety risks for employees
• Regulatory non-compliance

5.  Critical Public Infrastructure (transportation, healthcare, emergency services)

These infrastructures are the logistical and human backbone for access, mobility, safety, and rapid emergency response.

Examples of dependency:

• Access to operational sites (roads, bridges)
• Availability of medical care, police/fire intervention

Impacts on businesses during outages:

• Employees unable to reach or leave work sites
• Delivery and shipping delays
• Inability to respond to internal emergencies

 

Interconnected Risks and Domino Effects

One of the most dangerous aspects of a major disruption is its ability to trigger a cascade of interconnected events. We’re not talking about isolated incidents—but a chain of disruptions with multiple impacts. These are known as domino effects or cascading risks.

Typical example:

A power outage shuts down servers → cloud-based tools are unavailable → order management halts → customers are affected → calls flood customer service… which also has no access to its tools.

Other real-world examples:

• A flood cuts off road access → deliveries stop → production halts → customer shipments are delayed
• A cyberattack cripples IT systems → internal communications fail → billing and supplier payments are disrupted
• An HR crisis (e.g., strike, conflict, health outbreak) combined with supply chain issues intensifies internal chaos

These scenarios are not theoretical—they’ve happened here and elsewhere. That’s why organizations must build integrated plans capable of withstanding multiple simultaneous shocks while maintaining crisis management coherence.

 

Supply Chains: A Single Weak Link Can Shut Everything Down

The widespread outage in Europe also highlighted another major issue: the fragility of interconnected supply chains.

Many Canadian or North American companies rely on suppliers or subcontractors located in Europe. When these partners can no longer produce, respond, or ship, the entire chain can grind to a halt—especially for companies using just-in-time (JIT) or lean production models.

Possible consequences:

• Local production lines stopped due to lack of parts or materials
• Delays in delivering critical orders to clients
• Lost revenues, contract penalties, loss of credibility

In short—even if your company is not directly affected by the outage, you can still suffer consequences through domino effects. That’s why it’s crucial to map your dependencies and assess the resilience of key suppliers.

 

Concrete Actions to Build True Resilience

Here are some practical tips for managers looking to start—or strengthen—their preparedness without revealing everything upfront:

• Identify critical processes and their associated resources
• Document energy, technology, and supplier dependencies
• Simulate a prolonged blackout and test your ability to sustain operations
• Don’t rely solely on generators: plan alternatives, check fuel levels, anticipate failures
• Update your Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
• Update other resilience plans (crisis management, emergency response, IT recovery, blackout protocols, crisis communication, etc.)
• Prepare employee support: psychological aid, shift rotation, continuous information
• Conduct regular tests and exercises for practice

Each organization is unique, with its own structure and vulnerabilities. What works for one may not work for another—which is why a tailored approach is essential.

 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even well-meaning organizations make mistakes that compromise their ability to respond effectively to a major disruption. Here are some of the most common ones we see:

• Believing a generator is enough: Many think a backup generator provides adequate protection. But if it fails to start, breaks down, or runs out of fuel, the organization is left with no fallback.
• Never testing the plans: Continuity or crisis plans may exist—but have never been tested. In a real crisis, no one knows what to do.
• Ignoring interdependencies: An organization may prepare internally—but forget that a critical supplier or logistics partner may not be able to deliver during a crisis.
• Assigning crisis management to a single person: If that person is absent, the plan becomes useless.
• Underestimating human impacts: Stress, anxiety, overload, and misinformation all hinder effective responses if not accounted for in the planning.
• Lack of prioritization: Without clear priorities, teams scatter their efforts, and decision-making slows down.

Avoiding these mistakes requires a rigorous assessment, structured planning, and an organizational culture focused on resilience.

 

Where to Start? 5 Actions You Can Take Today

1. List your 5 most critical processes.
   What happens if each is interrupted for 48 hours?
2. Check your invisible dependencies.
   Do you rely on a single supplier? One technology? One key employee?
3. Locate your current plans.
   Who knows about them? Are they accessible without power or Internet?
4. Identify a “high-probability / high-impact” scenario.
   Ask yourself: Would we be ready today?
5. Schedule a simulation within the next 3 months.
   Even a 30-minute exercise can reveal major gaps.

 

Strategic and Confidential Support

At Benoit Racette Services-conseils inc., we support organizations looking to protect their critical operations, ensure team safety, and maintain stakeholder trust—even during major disruptions.

Our founder, Benoit Racette, brings over 27 years of specialized experience in business continuity, crisis management, emergency preparedness, and recovery planning. Known for his rigor, credibility, and ability to translate complex issues into concrete solutions, he is a trusted leader in the field.

A resilience assessment, an up-to-date BCP, or a simulated crisis scenario—these are the tools that separate organizations that suffer from those that respond with confidence.

If you’d like to assess your vulnerabilities, adjust your continuity plan, implement a crisis management plan, or review your other response protocols, our team can support you in this strategic journey. Contact us today: [email protected]