A dramatic and unexplained power outage brought Spain and Portugal to a standstill on Monday, leaving millions without electricity and causing widespread chaos across the Iberian Peninsula. The sudden loss of power shut down traffic lights, halted flights and trains, and plunged major cities into darkness, as authorities scrambled to restore supplies and investigate the cause.
According to Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN), Portugal’s grid operator, the blackout affected the entire peninsula, with parts of France also experiencing electrical outages. The Spanish grid operator estimated that it could be several hours before power is fully restored, raising concerns about the impact on daily life and the economy in the two countries, which share a population of around 60 million people.
The outage caused mayhem at airports, train stations, and on the roads, with motorists and travelers left to navigate the darkness. In Madrid, traffic jams formed as drivers struggled to cope with the lack of functioning traffic lights, while Lisbon’s airport was plunged into chaos as flights were delayed or canceled. Subways in both countries ground to a halt, leaving passengers stranded in pitch-black tunnels.
The blackout also had significant consequences for healthcare services, with Portugal’s National Institute for Medical Emergencies activating its contingency plan and Spain’s health ministry diverting backup power supplies to hospitals. Sporting events were disrupted too, as the Madrid Open was forced to suspend play due to the outage.
Madrid’s mayor, José Luis Martinez Almeida, appealed to citizens to minimize their movements and only call emergency services in urgent cases, while Portugal’s grid operator acknowledged that restoring power would be a “complex operation.” Eduardo Prieto, director of services for system operation at Red Eléctrica, warned that it could take up to 10 hours to fully restore supplies, should everything go smoothly.
As night began to fall on the affected regions, concerns grew about the potential impact on the coming days and nights. With flights grounded, trains halted, and power still out in many areas, the consequences of this widespread blackout will likely be felt for some time to come. As authorities continue their investigation into the cause of the outage, one thing is clear: the people of Spain and Portugal have faced a testing ordeal, and their resilience will be put to the test as they navigate these challenging times ahead.
Sourced from https://www.cnn.com