Power Blackout Hits Spain, Portugal, and Southwestern France

World

A massive power blackout has affected Spain, Portugal, and parts of southwestern France, leading to significant disruption across the region. The outage paralyzed public transport, caused severe traffic jams, delayed flights, and left residents unable to access cash from ATMs. Utility operators are working tirelessly to restore the electric grid as authorities investigate the cause.

The blackout, which began on Monday, has raised alarms across the region, with Portugal's Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro, stating there was no indication of a cyberattack. He assured the public that power would be restored “in the coming hours.” Similarly, Portugal’s National Cybersecurity Centre confirmed there were no signs of cyber interference.

In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also stated that there was no conclusive information on the cause of the outage. He mentioned that interconnections with neighboring France and Morocco had helped partially restore the power supply, and that combined cycles and hydroelectric plants were being reactivated across the country. The Spanish government urged people to remain indoors to avoid traffic chaos as the situation unfolded.

The power failure briefly impacted a part of France, specifically the region bordering northeastern Spain. In Spain, Red Eléctrica de España (REE), the country’s grid operator, informed the public that it could take six to 10 hours to restore full power. Initial reports indicated that northern, southern, and western Spain had begun receiving electricity again.

Both the Spanish and Portuguese governments held emergency cabinet meetings following the outage to coordinate efforts. The European Commission also expressed concern, stating that it was “in contact with local authorities” to investigate the cause of the blackout and ensure smooth information exchange between all relevant parties.

As the investigation continues, officials remain focused on resolving the issue quickly while ruling out any malicious activities such as cyberattacks.