A massive electricity blackout hit both Portugal and Spain, leaving nearly the entire Iberian Peninsula in darkness. The power cut caused confusion and brought daily life to a standstill.
Blackout Affects Millions Across Iberian Peninsula
Schools, hospitals, airports, banks, and public transport systems were all affected. Just after noon, electricity abruptly went out, impacting around 60 million people.
Portugal’s national power operator blamed the issue on a fault in Spain’s electricity grid. The Portuguese government also stated that the likely origin of the fault was across the border. On the other hand, Spain said it was still investigating the root cause. Officials from Spain urged people not to jump to conclusions as all possible causes were being looked into. They also warned that false information might make the situation worse.
Spain declared a state of emergency following the blackout, calling it one of the largest power failures in European history. The power cut even briefly affected areas outside the Iberian Peninsula, including parts of southwest France and some internet systems in Morocco.
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Travel, Schools, and Hospitals Thrown Into Confusion
Travel by train and air was severely disrupted by the blackout. Hundreds of flights and train journeys were canceled in both countries. Passengers arriving at airports found no working computers. Many could not check in, rent cars, or even use airport services.
In Seville, tourists struggled to find hotel rooms after transport services failed. Long lines of tired travelers waited as hotel staff tried to restore booking systems. Some travelers were told they would have to wait until the weekend to find flights home.
Trains across Spain came to a halt, and even by the next day, a few were still stuck with passengers on board. Major train routes such as Madrid to Barcelona and Madrid to Valencia were slowly being restored. However, other routes continued to face delays and cancellations. To help stranded passengers, many railway stations stayed open overnight to provide shelter.
Major cities like Valencia and Barcelona continued to have closed metro lines. In Madrid, only half of the usual number of commuter trains were running the next morning.
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Traffic chaos followed the outage as traffic lights stopped working. Streets were crowded, and police officers struggled to control the flow of vehicles. Unless it was absolutely necessary to leave the house, authorities recommended people to stay at home.
Life on Pause: Cash, Communication, and Nuclear Safety
Daily life was heavily impacted by the blackout. People in both countries rushed to banks to withdraw cash as many card payment systems were down. In several cities, long lines formed at ATMs. Many people were also unable to get phone signals and had trouble communicating with loved ones or accessing emergency services.
Rescue operations were carried out in several buildings. More than 280 calls for assistance from people stuck in elevators were received by emergency personnel in Madrid alone. To help those impacted by the blackout, police and firefighters worked through the night.
Backup systems were necessary for hospitals. In certain locations, medical equipment was maintained operational by emergency generators. However, the lack of power made it difficult to carry out regular treatments and appointments.
Spain’s nuclear power stations were also affected. As a safety step, these plants automatically shut down when the blackout occurred. Backup diesel generators were activated to keep the plants in a safe condition. The public was not at risk, according to officials.
By Tuesday morning, electricity had been restored to almost all of mainland Spain and Portugal. About 6.2 million of the 6.5 million houses in Portugal had power again. According to Spain’s national grid, 99 percent of its power service has returned. Nonetheless, there were still problems with public services and transportation in several places.
The blackout came suddenly and with great intensity. Officials estimate that in only five seconds, about 15 gigawatts of electricity, or more than half of what was being consumed at the time, vanished. This massive drop led to a chain reaction that brought down power across the entire region.
The region’s strong reliance on solar and wind energy is being looked at as one possible reason the grid became unstable so quickly. However, officials have confirmed that there is no evidence so far to suggest a cyberattack was involved.
As services slowly resumed, many workers were told to stay home, especially in areas where public transport was not yet back to normal. Schools in several cities also remained closed due to the ongoing problems.
This unexpected blackout has highlighted how closely connected the electricity systems of different countries are and how one fault can affect millions across borders. Investigations continue into what exactly caused this major power failure.