Vodafone accelerates plan to secure power supply, including AI

It says mobile ops could combine assets and participate in electricity markets, using idle capacity and generating revenue by trading energy using Virtual Power Plant services

Vodafone has fast-tracked its new network resilience programme – the Vodafone Enhanced Power initiative. It is designed to boost resilience for emergency and critical online services, public safety and connectivity for mobile customers across Europe and Africa in the event of a major outage. 

Vodafone says the increasing frequency of climate-related disasters and power grid instability in many regions underlines the need for power resilience in communications infrastructure supporting critical emergency services. Outages have many causes, including floods, wildfires, earthquakes, or blackout incidents, which can affect local areas, regions, or entire countries. Major, extended outages are rare in Europe but last summer’s extreme weather is predicted to have cost €126 billion by 2029. 

Significant blackouts

The launch of the Vodafone Enhanced Power initiative was accelerated after a massive power blackout in April 2025 in large areas in Spain and Portugal, and to a lesser extent France which took down essential services such as telecoms, transport and banking.  At its worst, about 60% of mobile users in Portugal lost connectivity or struggled to connect.

Vodafone Enhanced Power initiative is intended to enhance resilience in more than 10,000 critical mobile infrastructure sites that support emergency services across Europe. It will be implemented throughout Vodafone’s European markets over the next two years, starting with Portugal.

The initiative is based on existing temporary backup systems and new, software-based solutions that use AI to o predict, control and conserve backup time as long as possible. Power supplies are designed to best handle an outage depending on its severity and size on local, regional and national levels. All the solutions also aim to reduce current CO2 emission levels.

Local, regional and national response

For smaller localised outages, which typically affect up to 10 mobile sites, Vodafone will continue to use portable solutions known as Cells on Wheels (COW). This will be complemented by Vodafone’s Instant Network Emergency Response, providing free Wi-Fi and phone charging stations during disaster relief efforts.

Several Vodafone engineers form part of the Instant Network Emergency Response (INER) team. Since 2012, the INER programme has deployed to over 28 disasters worldwide and recently supported in Jamaica after the outbreak of Hurricane Melissa.

To tackle wider regional blackouts, affecting tens or more than a hundred mobile sites, Vodafone will draw on its arsenal of temporary and back up units, as well as deploy Adaptive Power Backup. This is a new AI-controlled intelligent technique to remotely extend the base station battery backup time, potentially doubling it in certain scenarios.

Vodafone has also drawn up a more comprehensive network resilience and power backup plan in the case of a national or cross-border blackout.

In addition to reinforcing over 10,000 critical sites across Europe, Vodafone is initially prioritising the following network areas.

Core mobile sites

There are more than 400 mobile data centres and large backbone sites located in European Union (EU) countries which have battery backups and diesel generators that can provide a minimum of 72 hours power or have guaranteed refuelling support within at least 48 hours.

Aggregation mobile sites

These sites have a minimum of four hours’ backup power for key locations that serve as network junctions to route customers’ data. The four-hour power supply is based on maximum site load.

Critical Access Sites

There are more than 10,000 essential radio and backhaul access sites in Europe that support mobile coverage for emergency services, command and control centres, hospitals, government offices, airports and other major transport hubs. They will be equipped with a minimum of four hours’ backup power. This is the first phase of a wider programme to equip many more sites with the latest generation of battery technology.

Vodafone is also looking to space to build resilience by connecting smartphones and other cellular devices of emergency responders via satellite, even in the most dangerous and challenging environments.

AI to the rescue

Vodafone has launched an AI-driven Adaptive Power Backup service in Greece and is trialling it in Turkey, before deploying it to other markets during 2026. The system uses AI to predict outages and optimise power consumption which enables nearly twice the backup duration and keeps emergency services connected three times longer than the industry standard, the operator claims.

It works by remotely and autonomously shutting down non-essential equipment or putting it into cell sleep mode while maintaining crucial channels for emergency services, phone calls and SMS.

AI reduces capex

The operator also says the use of AI will help mitigate the intensive capital outlay required to deploy additional backup batteries, which would divert resources for network upgrades. Mandating 4-hour backup at every site belonging to all operators in the UK would require a one-time investment of between £2.2 billion and £4.4 billion (€2.6 billion to 5.2 billion), according to a study by the regulator Ofcom, with similar proportional costs predicted across Europe.

Hence Vodafone is exploring new ways to pool resources with other operators and electricity providers. By partnering with aggregators, mobile operators can combine assets to participate in various electricity markets, using idle capacity and generating revenue through energy trading using Virtual Power Plant (VPP) services.

Business customers and consumers could participate in the scheme. Although collaborative schemes offer financial and environmental benefits, most European markets – except for Germany, Ireland and the UK – have yet to develop them fully. Government incentives are necessary to drive reform and investment in this area.  

Africa focus

As part of the programme, Vodafone’s African business Vodacom is turning to AI to overcome industry-wide challenges of keeping mobile sites switched on even during frequent load-shedding (temporary shutdown of electricity to certain areas to prevent the collapse of the entire power grid). The company has developed a strategy centered on two pillars: integrating renewable energy sources and leveraging AI to optimise generator load factors.

Vodacom’s AI-on-the-edge solution prioritises energy sources intelligently during load-shedding, reducing diesel runtime and ensuring base stations operate on the most cost-effective energy source without compromising network availability. Initial results have led to a 10%–15% reduction in the use of diesel and lowered operational costs, minimised site visits, and improved the customer experience.

Aligned with European framework

Vodafone’s resilience programme is aligned with the EU’s cybersecurity and infrastructure protection framework. The operator says it welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with Brussels and national authorities to ensure compliance, accelerate implementation, and explore co-funding opportunities where appropriate.

The most effective way to ensure network resilience is through targeted upgrades at critical sites, complemented by public investment in the power grid to support both Europe’s telecoms sector competitiveness and Europe’s digital ambitions.

The press statement concludes, “Operators alone cannot bear the full burden of these initiatives. To ensure success and sustainability, the industry needs support from governments through dedicated funding and policy alignment. This partnership is critical to delivering the infrastructure and innovation that Europe requires, and maintaining it during any major power outage.”