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Millions of people across Spain and Portugal were left without electricity today, as a major blackout disrupted daily life, transportation, and essential services across the Iberian Peninsula.
The power outage began just after midday local time and rapidly spread across major cities and rural areas alike. Spain’s electricity grid operator, Red Eléctrica, confirmed the widespread outage, stating that all available resources were being dedicated to restoring the network. It reported that electricity consumption across Spain plunged by 50% around 12:30pm, reflecting the sheer scale of the blackout.
The blackout led to dramatic scenes across both countries:
Meanwhile, Portugal’s electricity distribution network, E-Redes, also suffered website outages as it tried to coordinate restoration efforts. Reports emerged that areas as far away as Belgium and the French border regions experienced similar disturbances, raising concerns about a larger European grid issue.
The Spanish government convened an emergency session at Moncloa, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visiting Red Eléctrica’s control centre to oversee recovery efforts. In Portugal, authorities have urged citizens to reserve emergency lines like 112 for genuine emergencies to avoid overwhelming the system.
By late afternoon, grid operators said that power restoration had begun in northern and southern Spain, but they warned the process could take time due to the scale and complexity of the disruption.
The cause of the blackout remains under investigation. Major Spanish energy companies Endesa and Iberdrola are currently analysing the situation. Early media reports suggest that issues with the European electric grid may have triggered the collapse of national networks across the Iberian Peninsula.
This blackout marks one of the most significant infrastructural failures in Europe in recent memory, exposing vulnerabilities as the continent's energy grids become increasingly interconnected.
Rare atmospheric phenomenon' behind outage and disruption could last a week, Portuguese operator says
Millions of people across Spain and Portugal were left without electricity today, as a major blackout disrupted daily life, transportation, and essential services across the Iberian Peninsula.
The power outage began just after midday local time and rapidly spread across major cities and rural areas alike. Spain’s electricity grid operator, Red Eléctrica, confirmed the widespread outage, stating that all available resources were being dedicated to restoring the network. It reported that electricity consumption across Spain plunged by 50% around 12:30pm, reflecting the sheer scale of the blackout.
The blackout led to dramatic scenes across both countries:
- Traffic lights failed, causing traffic chaos in city centres like Madrid and Lisbon.
- Public transport systems were crippled, with metro services suspended in Lisbon, Porto, and Madrid, and numerous passengers stranded underground.
- Airports were affected, with Madrid’s Barajas International Airport and Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport temporarily closing due to lack of power.
- Internet and telecommunications networks suffered outages, with many residents unable to access mobile networks.
- Cashless payments collapsed, forcing people to queue at ATMs for cash in Lisbon and elsewhere.
- Hospitals, including Madrid’s La Paz, were forced to cancel surgeries due to electricity failures.
Meanwhile, Portugal’s electricity distribution network, E-Redes, also suffered website outages as it tried to coordinate restoration efforts. Reports emerged that areas as far away as Belgium and the French border regions experienced similar disturbances, raising concerns about a larger European grid issue.
The Spanish government convened an emergency session at Moncloa, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visiting Red Eléctrica’s control centre to oversee recovery efforts. In Portugal, authorities have urged citizens to reserve emergency lines like 112 for genuine emergencies to avoid overwhelming the system.
By late afternoon, grid operators said that power restoration had begun in northern and southern Spain, but they warned the process could take time due to the scale and complexity of the disruption.
The cause of the blackout remains under investigation. Major Spanish energy companies Endesa and Iberdrola are currently analysing the situation. Early media reports suggest that issues with the European electric grid may have triggered the collapse of national networks across the Iberian Peninsula.
This blackout marks one of the most significant infrastructural failures in Europe in recent memory, exposing vulnerabilities as the continent's energy grids become increasingly interconnected.
