Power Gradually Returns to the Iberian Peninsula
Spain Portugal power outage: Electricity restored after widespread blackout disrupts cities and services across the Iberian Peninsula.
Red Eléctrica, the national grid operator in Spain, reported that over 45% of the country’s power grid is back online. Meanwhile, Portugal’s energy provider E-Redes reported that power is largely restored in regions like Catalonia, Andalusia, Basque Country, and parts of France near Burgundy.
What Caused the Blackout?
The exact cause of the power outage remains unclear, but authorities point to a “very strong oscillation” in the European power grid. This imbalance caused Spain’s system to disconnect from the continental network, leading to a cascading failure across Spain and Portugal.
Portuguese officials cited a transmission issue in Spain’s power network as the root cause. The European Commission confirmed there is no evidence of a cyberattack or sabotage.
How did other countries get affected?
Parts of France, especially the Basque region, experienced brief blackouts, but crews quickly restored power. Reports also mentioned outages in Andorra, the small nation bordering Spain.
Travel Disruptions Across Iberia
Public transport in Madrid, Lisbon, and Barcelona faced severe disruptions.
- Spanish train services were suspended at 12:30 p.m. local time.
- The Madrid Metro shut down, and underground stations were evacuated.
- Barcelona’s El Prat Airport continues to operate using self-service kiosks.
- Portugal’s TAP Air asked passengers to avoid airports due to limited operations.
- Roads in major cities saw traffic chaos as lights failed.
Events Canceled or Suspended
The Madrid Open tennis tournament halted matches mid-play. Star player Coco Gauff’s post-match interview ended as the power outage hit. Officials said the suspension was for safety and beyond their control.
The Spanish Parliament in Madrid also closed for the day.
The Road Ahead
Red Eléctrica warned full restoration may take up to 10 hours. Although power is returning, the incident highlights the vulnerability of even advanced European nations to large-scale power outages.
Source: Forbes
