Another major power outage has affected northern Ibiza, leaving 1,059 customers without electricity for more than six hours during one of the island’s busiest summer periods.

The outage affected areas around Sant Miquel de Balansat and Sant Mateu d’Albarca, with the interruption beginning at around 8:45pm on Wednesday, August 19, and the final restoration completed at approximately 6am the following morning, according to Noudiari.

What caused the Ibiza blackout?

The fault occurred on an overhead Endesa electricity line.

Two teams were deployed to deal with the problem, but completing the repair took longer than expected because part of the infrastructure was located on a private property, making access to a tower containing essential switching equipment difficult.

Endesa has pointed to thermal stress caused by the prolonged heatwave as one of the underlying factors behind a number of electrical failures affecting Ibiza and Formentera this summer.

The company says it is still analysing damaged infrastructure in its laboratory, meaning the precise cause of each individual incident has not necessarily been established.

Why is the heat putting pressure on Ibiza's electricity network?

The island has experienced an exceptionally prolonged period of high temperatures this summer.

That creates a double pressure on the electricity network.

First, sustained heat can put physical stress on electrical infrastructure. Endesa has particularly highlighted the problem with underground cables, where the heat generated by electrical current normally dissipates into the surrounding ground. When the ground itself remains unusually hot, its ability to absorb that heat is reduced.

At the same time, extreme temperatures lead to a sharp increase in electricity consumption as residents, tourists and seasonal workers rely heavily on air conditioning and ventilation.

That combination of increased demand and infrastructure operating under extreme heat can make the network more vulnerable to failures.

Restaurants and businesses among those affected

The timing of the outage created additional problems for local businesses.

The power cut occurred during the evening dinner service, when restaurants and other businesses in the affected areas were operating at one of the busiest times of the day.

Noudiari reports that several restaurants suffered losses after customers left because of the blackout, while some businesses also lost food and other perishable stock because refrigeration was interrupted.

The problem is particularly serious during August, when Ibiza's hospitality businesses are operating at maximum capacity.

Earlier in the same week, another outage in Santa Eulària affected 325 customers between approximately 8:54pm and 10:45pm. That incident was also attributed by Endesa to a failure involving an underground cable, with sustained high temperatures cited as a possible factor.

Ibiza has seen repeated outages this summer

The latest incident is part of a wider pattern of electricity interruptions across Ibiza and Formentera this summer.

Outages have recently affected areas including Sant Antoni, Santa Eulària, Sant Miquel and Vila, causing concern among residents and businesses.

Local reporting has highlighted the financial impact on restaurants and shops, with some businesses saying they have had to restrict services or close temporarily during outages.

Endesa has said it has prepared contingency plans in Ibiza, Sant Rafel, Sant Antoni and La Savina in Formentera to respond more quickly should further incidents occur.

A difficult summer for Ibiza's infrastructure

The repeated failures are raising broader questions about how Ibiza's electricity infrastructure is coping with the combination of extreme heat, peak-season population and exceptionally high energy demand.

The island's population can increase dramatically during the summer as millions of visitors arrive alongside residents and seasonal workers. At the same time, prolonged heatwaves are pushing electricity consumption higher precisely when infrastructure is under the greatest thermal pressure.

For businesses, particularly those dependent on refrigeration, kitchen equipment and air conditioning, even a few hours without electricity can translate into significant losses.

For residents and visitors, meanwhile, the latest outage is another reminder that Ibiza's record summer temperatures are putting pressure on more than just people trying to stay cool — they are also testing the infrastructure keeping the island running.

Source: Noudiari