A system includes multiple processors and a power controller. Each processor includes a throttling engine. The power controller is to, in response to a determination that a first power consumption level exceeds a first threshold, assert a critical signal to each throttling engine of the plurality of processors. Further, for each processor, the throttling engine of the processor is to perform a sequence of multiple throttling states while the critical signal is asserted by the power controller, where the sequence of multiple throttling states is performed according to a state machine of the throttling engine. Other embodiments are described and claimed.