(UPDATE) Recently, parts of Europe experienced a series of unexpected and widespread power outages, raising concerns over infrastructure security and energy stability.

According to a report by Newsweek, these disruptions were not due to cyberattacks, grid failures, or supply issues. Instead, scientists have traced the cause to a rare atmospheric phenomenon.

The phenomenon in question is known as geomagnetic disturbance (GMD), often triggered by intense solar activity.

When the sun emits large bursts of energy—solar flares or coronal mass ejections (CMEs)—charged particles travel toward Earth and interact with the planet’s magnetic field.

These interactions can induce electric currents in power lines, transformers, and other critical parts of the electrical grid, leading to voltage instability and, in severe cases, widespread outages.

Meteorological agencies across Europe confirmed that a particularly strong geomagnetic storm hit the Earth’s atmosphere around the time of the blackouts.

The storm was classified as a G4 on the NOAA space weather scale, indicating a severe event. Power companies noted unusual currents detected across high-voltage systems, leading to automatic shutdowns designed to prevent permanent equipment damage.

While countries like Sweden, Germany, and parts of the UK reported the most noticeable disruptions, energy experts suggest that without advanced early-warning systems in place, the damage could have been significantly worse.

European grids had some level of protection, but the strength of the recent solar storm pushed those defenses to their limits.

This event has reignited discussions about the vulnerability of modern infrastructure to natural cosmic phenomena. Although rare, major geomagnetic storms like the infamous 1859 Carrington Event could cause catastrophic damage to today’s highly digital and interconnected grids.

Authorities are now working closely with space weather forecasters to enhance monitoring systems and develop quicker response strategies. There’s also a growing push for better “hardening” of the grid—upgrading transformers and power lines to withstand unexpected geomagnetic interference.

For now, power has been fully restored across affected regions, but experts warn that as the sun approaches the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, more intense solar activity could be on the horizon.