Massive Power Outage Disrupts Life Across Spain and Portugal

• Apr 29, 2025

Tens of millions of people across Spain and Portugal were left without power on Monday after a massive and unexpected blackout struck the Iberian Peninsula.

The power failure began at around 12:33pm local time, affecting everything from metro systems and traffic lights to phone networks and internet access. In both countries, residents found themselves stuck in elevators, stranded in trains, and walking through darkened metro tunnels guided only by mobile phone lights. Airports operated on emergency generators, but routine hospital operations were postponed in favour of critical care.

Portugal’s grid operator, REN, attributed the blackout to a rare atmospheric phenomenon that triggered abnormal vibrations in high-voltage lines. This led to a chain reaction of system failures across the interconnected European power network. Spain’s electricity operator, Red Eléctrica, described the incident as “exceptional and totally extraordinary,” though it did not immediately confirm the cause.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez chaired a crisis meeting on Monday evening to assess the situation. While early speculation included a possible cyber-attack, Spanish and Portuguese authorities later said there was no evidence of malicious activity.

By 10pm, efforts to restore power were progressing. In Spain, 62% of substations were back online, and electricity demand had climbed to 43.3% of normal levels. However, the transport minister warned that intercity rail services would remain suspended until Tuesday.

The blackout caused chaos across cities. In Madrid, traffic lights failed, metro services halted, and supermarket card payments were unavailable. Motorists were urged to stay off the roads, and the mayor asked people to limit travel so emergency services could function.

In Portugal, major areas of Lisbon and regions to the north and south were affected. Lisbon metro passengers had to be evacuated, and electronic payment systems went offline. The city’s water supplier warned of potential supply disruptions, prompting crowds to buy bottled water and emergency supplies.

While partial power has returned, full restoration may take longer. European officials are working with Spanish and Portuguese authorities to better understand what triggered the widespread failure and prevent a similar event in the future.