MEXICO CITY — A wave of internet rumors is currently circulating online, warning of a potential “massive blackout” affecting Mexico and the rest of the world on Tuesday, November 17, 2026. However, official sources and technical analyses indicate that these claims are largely rooted in conspiracy theories fueled by a mix of fictional media and routine government procedures.

The rumor appears to stem from two primary sources: a famous television prediction and a scheduled government test.

From Fiction to Fact-Checking

The narrative gained traction online following a scene in *The Simpsons*—specifically the episode “It’s a Blunderful Life,” which is set 60 years in the future. In the episode, a character opens a diary and mentions a massive blackout that occurred on November 17, nearly destroying the town. Due to the show’s reputation for “predicting” future events, internet users have linked this fictional date to a real-world catastrophe.

The Reality: A Routine FEMA Test

The specific date—November 17, 2026—is not a day for a power grid failure, but rather the date scheduled for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct a national test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).

This test, which occurs at least once every three years, is designed to identify technical and operational issues within the alert network. On the designated day, radio and television programming will be briefly interrupted for approximately one minute to broadcast a standard message: “This is a national test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”

Crucially, experts emphasize that this test will not affect the electrical grid or cause any power outages. The “global blackout” narrative is a conspiracy theory that has conflated a standard public safety exercise with a plot point from a popular comedy series.

Authorities continue to urge the public to remain calm and ignore unverified information circulating on social media, noting that no official agency has predicted or planned any interruption to the nation’s power infrastructure for that date.