A massive blackout struck Spain and Portugal on Monday, causing widespread chaos that grounded train services, left millions without phone and internet access, and halted cash withdrawals across the Iberian Peninsula. The outage, which lasted for nearly 11 hours, left authorities scrambling to determine the cause of the collapse.
The crisis began at 12:33 p.m. when Spain's power grid lost 15 gigawatts of electricity, roughly 60% of its national demand, in just five seconds. This sudden disruption left millions of people across both countries without power. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez addressed the nation, confirming that, nearly 11 hours later, the full extent of the outage was still being investigated.
“We have never had a complete collapse of the system,” Sánchez remarked. By the evening, Spain had managed to restore nearly half of its electricity supply, with the government promising a full recovery by the end of Tuesday.
The blackout affected major cities, including Madrid, Lisbon, and Barcelona. In Madrid, offices closed, traffic became gridlocked, and many found themselves stranded. Commuters at bus stops in the capital attempted to hitchhike to the airport, desperate to reach loved ones as public transport ground to a halt.
“I’ve been here for almost three hours, trying to get someone to take me to the airport because my family arrived today and I can’t talk to them," said Jessica Fernández, a Madrid resident. "This is terrifying."
In Barcelona, Ivette Corona, a local resident, expressed frustration as crowds failed to board buses. "I don’t know how I am going to get home," she said.
Train services across both countries were also severely affected. In Spain, around 35,000 passengers were stranded on more than 100 trains when the power was cut. Emergency crews worked through the night to evacuate passengers, with over 11 trains still requiring assistance by 11 p.m.
Both governments were quick to respond. The Spanish government convened an emergency meeting, and the army was mobilised to distribute generators and other essential supplies. Meanwhile, in Portugal, an emergency meeting was held at the prime minister’s residence, with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro speaking frequently with Sánchez to co-ordinate efforts.
Portugal’s government suggested the problem originated outside the country, though no definitive cause was established. Electricity was drawn from neighbouring Morocco and France to restore power, with Spain increasing its reliance on hydroelectric and thermal power plants.
Airports in both countries were severely impacted. In Spain, airports ran on backup power systems, and many flights were delayed. In Lisbon, airport terminals were closed, and passengers were left waiting for information about their flights. “We haven’t seen any plane arriving or departing in the 50 minutes we’ve been waiting here,” said Marc Brandsma, a Dutch tourist at Lisbon’s airport.
In Spain, even the Spanish Parliament suspended its activities, while the Madrid Open tennis tournament was temporarily halted. The situation was similarly grim in Portugal, where ATMs and electronic payment systems were rendered inoperable, leaving many unable to access cash.
While some found solace in the sunshine, with crowds gathering in parks and restaurants, many struggled with the absence of communication. “I can’t even call my boss because nothing works,” said Helen Osorio, a shop clerk in Barcelona.
Authorities in Portugal reported that backup power systems were functioning, and emergency services worked tirelessly to manage the crisis. Police forces were deployed to handle increased requests for assistance, including from people trapped in elevators.
In Terrassa, located just 30 miles from Barcelona, the demand for generators surged, leaving stores out of stock.
This event comes just weeks after a fire at Heathrow Airport in the UK caused another major disruption. European officials are increasingly concerned about the possibility of cyberattacks, particularly those linked to Russia. However, the Portuguese National Cybersecurity Center confirmed that there was no indication that the outage was caused by a cyberattack.
Teresa Ribera, European Commission executive vice president responsible for promoting clean energy, described the event as “one of the most serious episodes recorded in Europe in recent times.”
“We are analyzing all the potential causes without discarding any hypothesis,” Sánchez said.
As investigations continue, the Iberian Peninsula, home to over 60 million people, begins its recovery from one of the largest power outages in recent European history.
(With AP inputs)
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