This is more like Mr Burns’ attempt to extort Springfield. Butters also wanted to do it in South Park but ya know, the Simpsons already did it.

Immediately thought of Monty Burns when I read the title.

The war between humans and machines was already in full swing when the humans darkened the skies in an attempt to cripple the machines (which at the time were dependent on solar power).

Or of Snowpiercer