Massive Blackout Brings Spain and Portugal to a Standstill

 

Massive Blackout Brings Spain and Portugal to a Standstill

Millions Impacted as Subway Systems, Traffic Lights, and ATMs Shut Down Across the Iberian Peninsula

Spain's Barcelona — Much of Spain and Portugal was in disarray Monday due to a catastrophic power outage that stopped subway service, turned out traffic signals, and disconnected ATMs for the 50 million people who live around the Iberian Peninsula.

Full power restoration might take six to 10 hours, according to Spanish energy company Red Eléctrica. Officials verified that there is no evidence of a hack being the cause of the outage, although the exact cause is yet unknown.

 

Unprecedented Power Failure Shakes the Region

During a press briefing, Red Eléctrica's head of operations, Eduardo Prieto, called the blackout "exceptional and extraordinary." The outage caused extensive disruption and spanned major cities, including Madrid and Lisbon.

People found it difficult to communicate when offices closed, streets became congested due to disabled lights, and some mobile networks went down. Voice calls were mostly inoperable, while certain apps continued to work.

The precise number of individuals impacted has not yet been confirmed by authorities, but the occurrence is extremely exceptional in scope, with massive disruptions occurring simultaneously in Portugal and Spain.

 

Early Signs Point to Issues Within the Spanish Grid

According to preliminary indications from Portuguese officials, the issue may have started in Spain's electrical distribution system, however, investigations are still ongoing. Although the matter is still being reviewed, Portuguese Cabinet Minister Leitão Amaro informed national news outlet Lusa that it seemed to be caused by problems on the Spanish side.

Likewise, E-Redes, a Portuguese power distributor, said the blackout was caused by "a problem with the European electricity system." According to reports from the Expresso daily, power had to be purposefully interrupted in some places in an attempt to stabilize the grid.

 

Major Disruptions Across Airports, Railways, and Public Services

The blackout happened just after midday, according to Spain's national network RTVE, and within minutes, the country's electrical use fell from 27,500MW to about 15,000MW.

Spain's airports began using backup generators, but several aircraft experienced delays. Tourists were left waiting for updates outside Lisbon's airport buildings, which were closed.

Dutch traveler Marc Brandsma told the Associated Press, "In the fifty minutes we've been waiting here, we haven't seen any plane arrive or depart."

In both nations, train service was completely suspended. In Barcelona, subway platforms were strangely deserted, while in Madrid, television video showed people stuck at fleeing stations.

 

Government Response and Public Safety Measures

Pedro Sánchez, the prime minister of Spain, visited Red Eléctrica to supervise restoration work and called an urgent meeting of the National Security Council.

Due to extensive outages of electronic road signage and traffic signals, traffic authorities advised locals to refrain from driving. In Barcelona, the streets are packed with confused pedestrians looking for functional internet or trying to find a way home without using the subway.

Meanwhile, shops selling generators in Terrassa, a town around 30 miles from Barcelona, had their stock completely depleted due to a spike in demand.

More police officers were sent to Portugal to control traffic and handle emergencies, such as saving those stuck in elevators. To continue operating, hospitals and emergency services shifted to backup generators, while petrol outlets nationwide

 

Portugal Also Severely Affected

Blackouts occurred in sections of northern and southern Portugal, as well as in Lisbon and the neighboring areas. Daily life was further disrupted when electronic payment systems failed, ATMs went offline, and Portuguese courts paused sessions.

As authorities attempted to manage the situation, public services nationwide prepared for prolonged disruptions, and Lisbon's metro system was evacuated.