In an unprecedented event, Spain and Portugal experienced a substantial blackout on Monday, causing widespread disruptions that left much of the Iberian Peninsula without power. This outage stranded thousands of train passengers, interfered with telecommunication services, and blocked ATM operations, leaving millions in a state of uncertainty.
The collapse of the power grid left authorities scrambling for answers. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain addressed the nation, explaining that nearly 11 hours after the event, the government was still investigating the cause. He revealed that at approximately 12:33 p.m. on Monday, a sudden drop of 15 gigawatts—equivalent to 60% of Spain’s national demand—occurred within just five seconds.
Eduardo Prieto, head of operations at Spain’s power distributor Red Eléctrica, described the incident as both “exceptional and extraordinary.” By early Tuesday, Red Eléctrica announced that over 92% of power had been restored in Spain, and the Prime Minister promised full restoration by day’s end for the country’s 48 million residents.
This was the second major power disruption in Europe in recent weeks, following a fire at Heathrow Airport in March. European authorities have been on high alert, prepared against potential sabotage. However, both Portugal’s National Cybersecurity Center and Teresa Ribera, European Commission Executive Vice President, confirmed there was no evidence of a cyberattack, labeling the outage as one of the most severe in recent European memory.
The power outage saw severe consequences in major cities. In Madrid and Lisbon, workplaces shuttered and traffic chaos ensued. Train services were halted in both countries, prompting emergency services to evacuate approximately 35,000 passengers from stranded trains. As of late Monday night, evacuations were still ongoing.
In Madrid, frustrated commuters at bus stops sought rides to the airport, hoping to catch flights with little success. Some resorted to hitchhiking, brandishing makeshift signs as they tried to find helpful drivers. Jessica Fernández, among them, lamented the situation, “I’ve been here for almost three hours… This is terrifying.”
Public transport systems, including subways, were shut down due to the outage. Residents like Ivette Corona in Barcelona found themselves uncertain of how to reach their destinations amid crowded bus stops.
Hospitals and key services activated backup generator systems, while gas stations ceased operations. Most mobile network communications were inoperative; however, a few apps retained partial functionality, and citizens resorted to using battery-operated radios for information.
According to the Spanish government, the military was tasked with distributing generators to the most affected areas. Meanwhile, Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro held emergency discussions with Spain’s President about resolving the blackout. Officials hinted that the root of the issue may lie outside Portugal’s borders.
Efforts to restore electricity involved borrowing power from neighboring Morocco and France and increasing output from hydroelectric and thermal power plants within Spain.
Observations from the Spanish electricity network highlighted an abrupt decline in demand—from 27,500 megawatts to 15,000 megawatts—shortly after noon on Monday. Despite the difficulty, airports managed to operate on backup systems, albeit with some flight delays.
In Lisbon, airport terminals closed, leaving passengers outdoors awaiting updates on their flights. For instance, traveler Marc Brandsma noted the lack of aircraft activity during his wait.
Public institutions in Madrid, including parliament, temporarily shuttered, and the Madrid Open tennis event was paused. With digital connectivity down, locals gravitated to outdoor spaces like parks and beaches. People engaged more directly with each other during the power crisis, as reflected by Barcelona resident Monste Cortés.
Telecommunications issues added stress as many struggled to reach family and colleagues. Helen Osorio, a shop employee in Barcelona, expressed exasperation at her inability to communicate professionally. Supplies of generators quickly disappeared from stores, leaving residents improvising solutions.
In Portugal, home to over 10 million people, emergency services faced a rise in demand. The police presence increased to respond to those needing assistance, such as people trapped in elevators. Periodic evacuation of subway cars in Lisbon was reported, and financial and judicial infrastructures experienced temporary disruptions.
The endeavor to return to normalcy continued as power systems gradually returned to operation, offering hope to the affected populace across both countries.