What Happens to My Digital ID When the Power Goes Out?

The recent power blackout across the Iberian Peninsula gave a stark reminder that electricity powers our lives — and particularly our digital lives. Behind the headlines about the increased frequency of energy infrastructure failures lies a critical question for the industry: what happens to our digital identity systems when the power goes out?

The power outages across Spain and Portugal are not isolated events. In the past few months, Sydney, Frankfurt and Heathrow airports experienced similar power disruptions.

In Sydney, a system-wide power cut stalled biometric verification and mobile boarding pass readers, forcing a reversion to physical documents and handwritten processing.

In Frankfurt, an electrical failure knocked out passport eGates, leaving immigration officers to conduct old-fashioned checks.

In March, a fire at an electrical substation led to a catastrophic power failure at Heathrow Airport, which overwhelmed backup systems and caused a complete 24-hour shutdown of the airport.