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Fragile Power Grids Cripple Global Internet Access
31 Jan
Summary
- Over 180 major internet disruptions occurred in 2025 globally.
- Electricity failures and extreme weather caused significant outages.
- Routine technical faults and fiber cuts strained connectivity.
Internet connectivity in 2025 was frequently disrupted by minor physical issues, with over 180 major incidents recorded globally. These disruptions affected both developing and advanced networks, highlighting vulnerabilities in existing infrastructure.
Electricity failures were a recurring cause, leading to significant internet downtime. Examples include a transmission line fault in the Dominican Republic causing a nationwide blackout and instability on Kenya's regional power interconnection impacting connectivity. Drone strikes damaged energy facilities in Ukraine, causing local outages.
Extreme weather also played a significant role. Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica and Cyclone Senyar impacting Sri Lanka and Indonesia resulted in severe traffic losses. Physical damage to international fiber optic cables further strained connectivity in countries like Haiti, Pakistan, and Cameroon.
Beyond external shocks, internal technical faults, including routing and DNS failures, caused service losses in countries like the UK and Italy. Large cloud platforms also experienced incidents that amplified localized failures across regions. Government-imposed shutdowns remained limited, with Tanzania being a notable exception during election unrest.
