Widespread Power Outage Hits Spain and Portugal, Leaving Thousands Stranded and Millions Without Electricity
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BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — An unprecedented blackout paralyzed much of Spain and Portugal on Monday, stranding thousands of train passengers and cutting off millions from phone service, internet access, and ATMs across the Iberian Peninsula.
The sudden collapse of the power grid left authorities scrambling for answers. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez addressed the nation, stating that nearly 11 hours after the outage began, government experts were still working to determine the cause.
“We have never experienced a complete system collapse before,” Sánchez said. He explained that at precisely 12:33 p.m. on Monday, Spain’s power grid lost 15 gigawatts — about 60% of national demand — in just five seconds.
Eduardo Prieto, head of operations at Spanish power distributor Red Eléctrica, described the event as “exceptional and extraordinary.”
By 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Spain had restored more than 92% of its power, according to Red Eléctrica. The prime minister assured that the entire nation of 48 million people would have full electricity by the end of the day.It marked the second major power outage in Europe in less than six weeks, following a March 20 fire that shut down Heathrow Airport in the U.K., as authorities across the continent brace for potential sabotage linked to Russia.
In a statement, the Portuguese National Cybersecurity Center confirmed there was no indication that a cyberattack was responsible for the outage. Teresa Ribera, the European Commission’s executive vice president for clean energy, echoed this sentiment in Brussels, describing the blackout as “one of the most serious incidents recorded in Europe in recent times.”
“We are examining all possible causes and not ruling out any scenario,” said Sánchez.
The outage began around midday, bringing cities to a standstill. Offices closed, and traffic jams clogged the streets of Madrid and Lisbon, while in Barcelona, some civilians took it upon themselves to direct traffic. Train services ground to a halt in both countries.
In Spain, emergency crews and railway workers had to evacuate about 35,000 passengers from more than 100 trains stranded on the tracks after the power failure. By 11 p.m., passengers from 11 trains were still awaiting rescue, according to Sánchez.
In Madrid, hundreds of travelers waiting for buses to the airport resorted to hitchhiking as buses either failed to arrive or were packed to capacity. Many held handmade signs, pleading with passing drivers for a ride, and some motorists stopped to help.
"I’ve been stuck here for almost three hours, trying to find someone to take me to the airport," Jessica Fernández told The Associated Press. "My family arrived today, and I can’t even contact them. It’s terrifying."
Subway systems also came to a stop.
“I have no idea how I’m going to get home,” said Ivette Corona, a Barcelona resident, as she watched crowds unsuccessfully try to board a bus that briefly stopped to let in only a handful of passengers.
Hospitals and emergency services switched to backup generators, while gas stations ceased operating. Most mobile phone networks went down, with only occasional app access, forcing people to search for battery-powered radios to stay informed.
A widespread outage across the Iberian Peninsula, home to roughly 60 million people, is a rare occurrence. Spain’s Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, and the North African territories of Ceuta and Melilla were not affected..webp)
Following an emergency meeting of the National Security Council, Prime Minister Sánchez announced that the army would begin distributing generators and other essential supplies to the most severely affected areas starting Tuesday.
In Portugal, the Cabinet held an urgent session at the prime minister’s residence. Prime Minister LuÃs Montenegro stated he had been in frequent contact with Sánchez and expected the power supply to be fully restored by the end of the day.
According to an official speaking to the national news agency Lusa, the Portuguese government indicated the outage likely originated from issues beyond the country's borders.
To help stabilize the power grid, Spain was drawing electricity from Morocco and France—a gesture for which Prime Minister Sánchez expressed gratitude. Additionally, Spain ramped up output from its hydroelectric and combined-cycle thermal power plants.
Airports working on backup systems
A graph on Spain’s electricity network website showed a sharp drop in national demand around 12:15 p.m., falling from 27,500 megawatts to nearly 15,000 megawatts.
Spanish airports switched to backup power systems, leading to flight delays, according to Aena, which operates 56 airports across the country, including those in Madrid and Barcelona.
In Lisbon, airport terminals were closed, and tourists waited outside for updates on their flights.
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“We haven’t seen a single plane arrive or depart in the 50 minutes we've been waiting here,” said Marc Brandsma, a tourist from the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, the Spanish Parliament in Madrid was closed, and play at the Madrid Open tennis tournament was suspended.
Some took the opportunity to soak up the sunshine, enjoying restaurant terraces, parks, and beaches, as the lack of connectivity led to a shift in the usual routine. Barcelona's streets buzzed with crowds gathering in front of closed shops, exchanging stories and information.
"We're lucky," said Monste Cortés from Barcelona. "Some people got stuck in the metro. But there’s a silver lining: We’re talking to each other more."
For dinner, she planned to have sliced bread and cold cuts.
"The Quest for Connectivity"
As the hours went by, the worry grew among those unable to contact their loved ones. "I can't even reach my boss because nothing is working," said Helen Osorio, a shop clerk in Barcelona.
In Terrassa, an industrial town 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Barcelona, stores selling generators quickly sold out.
Portugal's National Authority for Emergencies and Civil Protection reported that backup power systems were still operational.
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In Portugal, with a population of around 10.6 million, police deployed additional officers to handle the surge in requests for assistance, including calls from people trapped in elevators.
Several subway cars in Lisbon were evacuated, according to reports. Court operations were halted, and ATMs and electronic payment systems experienced disruptions.
Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal. Associated Press writers Tales Azzoni in Madrid and Emma Burrows in London contributed.
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