What does the blackout mean for visitors in the south?
The whole island lost power on Monday 2 November 2026, Canarias7 reports. The report names no area that was spared, so the southern resorts were affected too.
Regional minister Mariano Hernández Zapata says power was fully back at 10:26. He said the incident began in the early hours, but the report gives no exact time.
Based on the reports available, the Canarian government has published no official advice for visitors or residents. There is also no announcement on compensation or claims so far.
If you booked a flight, hire car or excursion, ask the provider directly about any disruption. The sources name no official rule on this.
What exactly happened on Monday?
Zapata spoke of two major incidents. First about 17,500 customers lost power, then came a so-called “cero energético” (a total collapse of the grid).
The blackout fell within a weather warning for heavy rain. Canarias7 names no cause and draws no link to the weather.
The Consejería (the Canarian government's department) is in constant contact with Red Eléctrica de España (REE) and Endesa, Zapata says. Both companies are working with it to establish the reasons, and the sources contain no statement from them.
What does Zapata criticise about the power grid?
Mariano Hernández Zapata is the Canarian government's regional minister for ecological transition and energy. He speaks of important structural problems that, according to Canarias7, affect the generation, transport and distribution of electricity and endanger security of supply.
He told the media the blackout exposed the weaknesses of La Palma's infrastructure. The government had warned about these shortcomings before.
Some solutions are under way, he said, while others take longer than desirable. According to Canarias7, Zapata gave no dates, amounts or individual measures.
How often has the power failed on La Palma before?
The whole island went dark once before, on 10 June 2025. According to RTVC and the Canarian government, about 51,000 people were without power for 2 hours and 45 minutes.
The government said the incident started at the Los Guinchos power station. Regional officials blamed outdated equipment at the time, RTVC reports.
In May 2025 RTVC already reported several partial outages, including a “third blackout this month”. An earlier total outage came in September 2013, when a switch at Los Guinchos failed, according to RTVC.
RTVC counts seven such total blackouts in the Canaries since 2009. The others hit Tenerife and, in July 2023, La Gomera.
Why is the grid so fragile, and what remains open?
La Palma has an isolated power system with no link to other islands. Its core is Endesa's Los Guinchos power station, and storage or reserve plants outside it are largely missing, according to Diario de Avisos and The Objective.
Endesa says more than half of its generating units are over 25 years old, and two are over 50. It blames the stalled renewal on a delay of more than twelve years in the state tender.
The Ministry for the Ecological Transition (MITECO) launched that tender in 2024, and Endesa was the only bidder for La Palma. Seven diesel engines are due to shut down, because La Palma, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura must move away from diesel before 2029 under the law.
Endesa last wrote in July 2025 that it was close to a decision.
The Consejería opened proceedings against Red Eléctrica and Endesa on 19 June 2025, and Zapata promised sanctions without hesitation. There are no confirmed figures on the cost of renewal or on possible penalties after the blackout of 2 November.