Google's London cloud out 6 hours, banks hit

Google's cloud service in London was out for 6 hours and 10 minutes on the 20th of October 2026, Google said. Revolut, Lloyds and HSBC confirmed problems that day, Euronews reported.

A power cut hit one data centre, and its backup generators did not start, Google wrote on the 22nd of October.

What Google Cloud's London region is

Google Cloud rents computers and storage to companies over the internet. Its London region, called europe-west2, is a group of data centres, buildings full of those computers.

A region has zones, separate parts with their own power. The power cut hit one zone, europe-west2-b, Google wrote.

Two control computers failed to start the generators, Google said

The grid power failed at 06:53 UK time, Google's report says. Large batteries took over while the diesel generators were meant to start.

Small control computers, called PLCs, start the generators. Both the main and the spare one failed to switch them on, Google wrote.

The batteries ran out at 07:00 and other zones filled up

The batteries ran out at 07:00, and the computers in that zone lost power, Google said. Work moved to the other two London zones and overloaded them, Google wrote.

Revolut, Lloyds and HSBC confirmed problems

At Revolut, cash withdrawals, transfers and adding money to accounts were hit, Euronews reported on the 20th of October. Lloyds and HSBC also confirmed problems, Euronews reported.

Below we break down the 6 hours and 10 minutes

From the power cut at 06:53 to 07:00, the batteries lasted 7 minutes, by our arithmetic. From 07:00 to 13:10 is 6 hours and 10 minutes, or 370 minutes, by our arithmetic.

Most services were back at 12:29, and over 99 percent of customer computers were healthy at 13:10, Google said. Google posted its all-clear at 15:03, 8 hours and 10 minutes after the power cut, by our arithmetic.

Google's 6 hours and 10 minutes measures its own service and leaves out how long each bank took to recover.

What is confirmed and what is not

Google said a final report will follow its first one. The bank problems come from Euronews.

Key facts

Google Cloud London was out from 07:00 to 13:10 UK time on the 20th of October 2026.

A grid power cut hit zone europe-west2-b at 06:53.

Both generator control computers failed, so the batteries lasted 7 minutes.

Revolut, Lloyds and HSBC confirmed problems, Euronews reported.