Spanish telcos to require min. four-hour power backup during outages

Last Updated on July 13, 2026

Summary✨

Spain mandates that power backup telcos ensure services during electricity outages, requiring up to four hours of backup power.

The initiative aims to enhance digital communications and improve the resilience of infrastructure across various sectors.

Spanish telecom operators must submit security plans to maintain emergency services even in power failures.

The implementation of these rules will occur in phases, with approval expected by the end of 2026.

Nepal currently lacks formal requirements for power backup in telecom services during outages.

The government of Spain has proposed that every mobile network in the country will be required to have up to four hours of power backup to ensure communication service during electricity outages. The decision, coming under a new Royal Decree on the security and resilience of electronic communications and digital infrastructure, is aimed at providing users with uninterrupted service even when the power grid goes down.

According to international media outlets, the measure is likely to get approval at the end of 2026 and will go into implementation in phases.

Spain to have telcos install electricity backup for outages

The work on installing electricity backup for telecom services will go ahead in phases. The royal decree has it that a stage-wise implementation decision will give operators time to invest in the necessary gear while also improving the communication infrastructure.

The decree states that regional management centers will need to have enough backup to remain operational for a minimum of 12 hours. The most critical national control centers must have 24-hour capacity to run without power.

The move has placed a priority on emergency communications. The operators who provide emergency service in Spain (112) must submit security and resilience plans and adopt network redundancy measures. This is to ensure that the service continues to remain operational even during a major power outage or failure.

✅ Network outage causes and what to do?

Power backup to ensure the ‘digital right’ of the citizens

Spain’s Digital Transformation Minister Óscar López has described the power backup initiative as a new “digital right”. He added that the measure is in part a broader effort to enhance the country’s technological sovereignty with investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and other cutting-edge technologies.

It’s worth noting that the requirement for telcos to have a power backup plan is not exclusive to telecom providers. The decree also applies to other digital infrastructure providers such as data centers, submarine cable operators, satellite, and internet exchange points. So, in a gist, it’s a much broader initiative from the country to ensure that digital services stay up and running even when the national power grid goes off.

Nepal’s telecom companies design a power backup system that reinstates power at the sites during power outages. Companies keep a system that provides power backup between 6 and 24 hours to compensate for electricity cut off due to tripping, transformer explosion, or worse, monsoon-wrought floods and landslides.

But the need is for a formal provision to have these power backup systems at the sites and a backup from a few hours to a day as necessary. This mandates not just the installation but also their repair and maintenance. The backup system goes through wear and tear over time. So, a provision from the regulator’s level would ensure that telcos have guidelines to follow while installing a power backup system for sites to ensure connectivity.

FAQs on Spain telcos having a power backup during electricity outage and status in Nepal

Why is Spain requiring telecom operators to have power backup?

To ensure mobile and communication services remain available during electricity outages, especially in emergencies.

How much backup power will Spain’s mobile networks need?

Mobile network infrastructure will need to have up to four hours of backup power during outages.

When will the new rules take effect?

The proposal is expected to be approved by the end of 2026 and implemented in phases.

Does the regulation apply only to telecom companies?

No. It will also cover digital infrastructure providers such as data centers, submarine cable operators, satellite providers, and internet exchange points.

Does Nepal require telecom companies to have power backup during outages?

No. Nepal currently has no formal rule mandating telecom operators to maintain backup power during electricity outages.