MADRID, Spain — A massive power outage that struck Spain and Portugal on Monday left millions without electricity, prompting widespread disruption across the Iberian Peninsula. Hours later, much of the power was restored, but authorities continued to investigate the cause of what has been described as one of the most significant blackouts in recent European history.
The blackout, which affected nearly 60% of Spain’s energy demand in just five seconds, led to flight cancellations, halted metro services, and overwhelmed mobile networks. By Tuesday morning, Spain’s electricity operator, Red Eléctrica, reported that over 99% of demand had been restored. In Portugal, the National Grid operator confirmed that all 89 power substations were back online, bringing electricity to roughly 6.4 million customers.
As public transport resumed and businesses reopened, officials in Spain remained tight-lipped about the specific factors that triggered the outage. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emphasized the government’s dual focus on both restoring power and preventing future incidents.
Eduardo Prieto, director of system operations at Red Eléctrica, mentioned two significant “disconnection events” prior to the blackout, suggesting a need for further investigation to comprehend their causes. Meanwhile, Spain’s meteorological agency reported no unusual weather conditions that could explain the failure, and Portuguese cybersecurity officials dismissed any rumors of a cyber attack, stating there were no signs of foul play.
European Council President António Costa echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that there were no indications of sabotage involved. Nonetheless, the incident has raised concerns, with Teresa Ribera, a vice president of the European Commission, labeling it as one of the most serious electricity failures in Europe in recent memory.
Transportation hubs in Spain faced chaos as travelers sought to rebook tickets or board delayed flights. At Atocha station in Madrid, hundreds stretched out on the floor overnight, wrapped in emergency blankets. Similar scenes unfolded at Sants station in Barcelona, where travelers awaited information about their journeys.
Despite the pandemonium, the Madrid Open tennis tournament managed to continue, with matches resuming after an unprecedented postponement of 22 games on Monday. Iga Swiatek advanced to the quarterfinals amidst a packed schedule.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Madrid’s subway systems were fully operational, yet disruptions persisted on commuter lines in Barcelona due to ongoing electrical instability. Emergency responders reported rescuing thousands of passengers stranded on various forms of transportation, converting train stations and sports venues into makeshift shelters overnight.
Rubén Carión, a commuter who found himself stranded, shared his harrowing experience of spending the night at Atocha station after his train home to Barcelona was canceled. He described the atmosphere as “pure chaos,” illustrating the widespread disarray caused by the blackout.
As the dust settles from the incident, authorities are determined to uncover the underlying issues that contributed to this unprecedented outage to ensure that such a crisis does not recur in the future.