A rolling blackout, also referred to as rota or rotational load shedding, rota disconnection, feeder rotation, or a rotating outage, is an intentionally engineered electrical power shutdown in which electricity delivery is stopped for non-overlapping periods of time over different parts of the distribution region. Rolling blackouts are a last-resort measure used by an electric utility company to avoid a total blackout of the power system. Rolling blackouts are a measure of demand response if the demand for electricity exceeds the power supply capability of the network. Rolling blackouts may be localised to a specific part of the electricity network, or they may be more widespread and affect entire countries and continents. Rolling blackouts generally result from two causes: insufficient generation capacity or inadequate transmission infrastructure to deliver power to where it is needed. Rolling blackouts are also used as a response strategy to cope with reduced output beyond reserve capacity from power stations taken offline unexpectedly.
In developing countries Rolling blackouts are a common or even a normal daily event in many developing countries, where electricity generation capacity is underfunded or infrastructure is poorly managed. In well managed under-capacity systems blackouts are planned and schedules are published in advance to allow people to work around them. In poorly managed systems they happen without warning, typically whenever the transmission frequency falls below the 'safe' limit. These have wide-ranging impacts, and can effect the expectations of communities. For example, in Ghana dumsor describes the widespread expectations for intermittent unexpected power outages due to rolling blackouts.
Iran In 2021, Iran regularly conducted large blackouts nationwide. In July 2024, the government initiated 4-hour per day blackouts affecting homes and industries despite 40 °C (104 °F) heat waves, and the severity of power shortages exceeded worst-case scenario predictions. On 10 November 2024, the government began nationally implementing another round of the same type of blackout.
Philippines Remote areas or off-grid areas are the most vulnerable to power supply issues. Areas placed with under yellow and red alerts are subject to rolling blackouts.
South Africa
Since 2007, South Africa has experienced multiple periods of rolling blackouts which are locally referred to as load shedding by the state-owned energy company Eskom. This was initially caused by the country's demand for electricity outstripping supply, and as time progressed, later exacerbated by aging power infrastructure, poor maintenance, and the slow completion of new power stations. It was recently revealed by Eskom's former spokesperson Sikhonathi Mantshantsh, that widespread tender corruption and the sabotage of power infrastructure by employees is one of the primary reasons for continuing load shedding. This has caused severe damage to the South African economy and has played a large part in limiting the country's economic growth.
Ukraine
In the late 1990s, Ukraine experienced frequent scheduled electricity blackouts throughout the country's power system due to miners' strikes, the destruction of the coal industry in 1991–1996, the hidden privatization of energy companies and barters in the energy industry, which included even nuclear power. During the Russian invasion in 2022, Russia conducted multiple attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. On 23 October 2022, rolling blackouts were introduced in Kyiv and its oblast. Rolling blackouts were introduced in all Ukrainian regions on 25 October 2022. In 2024, Ukraine faced another unprecedented energy crisis due to Russia's destruction of energy infrastructure, re-introducing rolling blackouts. Approximately 70% of the country's heating infrastructure was either damaged or under occupation by May 2024.
Egypt In the Summer of 2023, with the unprecedented heatwave that hit the country, the Egyptian government announced it would start a scheduled blackout across all major cities for 1 hour per day until the heatwave ended. However, the blackouts remained well into the winter and were increased to 2 hours per day. In the Summer of 2024, the temperatures rose even higher and the schedule changed to 3 hours per day with reports of unplanned cuts in Alexandria, Cairo and other cities where some places faced over 6 hours without electricity for 3 days.
Cape Verde In 2025, the capital of the country, Praia, suffered summer long semi-scheduled blackouts due to increased demand. The country already lived with a deficient and inefficient system and many business reported complaints about the lack of management and communication from the electrical companies.
In developed countries Rolling blackouts in developed countries sometimes occur due to economic forces at the expense of system reliability, or during natural disasters such as heat waves.
Japan After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the Tokyo Electric Power Company implemented rolling blackouts. Its service area was divided into five blocks and blackouts were implemented from 6:20 to 22:00. The schedule from 15 to 18 March 2011 was as follows:
USA In California, rolling blackouts during 2000–01 California energy crisis occurred in June 2000, January, March and May 2001, and August 2020. The 2021 Texas power crisis involved rolling blackouts caused by the February 13–17, 2021 North American winter storm and lack of winterization. The Late December 2022 North American winter storm resulted in rolling blackouts in parts of the eastern US.
Other 2003 Italy blackout 2016 South Australian blackout
Effects Intermittent access to electricity causes major economic problems for businesses, which incur costs in the form of lost resources, reduced patronage, or curtailed production if electrical equipment—for example refrigeration, lighting, or machinery—abruptly stops working. Businesses in areas that are subject to regular blackouts may invest in backup power generation to avoid these costs, but power backup is itself a cost because generators must be purchased and maintained and fuel must be regularly replenished.
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