Massive power outage hits Spain and Portugal, disrupts transport and daily life

Spain and Portugal were plunged into chaos on Monday as a massive power outage paralysed public transport networks, triggered severe traffic congestion, and caused widespread delays at airports. The disruption, which also briefly affected parts of France, prompted emergency responses from both governments and raised concerns about a potential cyber attack, which authorities have not ruled out.

Spanish electricity transmission operator Red Eléctrica warned that the outage could last between six to ten hours, although restoration efforts were underway. In Portugal, utility REN activated contingency plans for a phased restoration of the electricity supply.

The blackout caused traffic lights to fail across major cities, creating widespread gridlock. Public transportation systems ground to a halt, with passengers trapped in metro systems and elevators. Hospitals were left without power, raising additional concerns for public safety.

In Madrid, hundreds of office workers spilled into the streets amid heavy police presence, with officers manually directing traffic. Sirens and helicopters filled the air as emergency services mobilized. The Torre Emperador skyscraper was evacuated by stairwell, while mobile networks experienced intermittent outages, leaving parents struggling to contact schools.

Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, Mayor of Madrid

Madrid Mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida urged residents via a video posted on X to minimize movement and remain where they were until further notice.

The Spanish and Portuguese governments convened emergency meetings to address the crisis, with Spain forming a dedicated crisis committee. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Red Eléctrica’s control centre, assuring citizens that the government was deploying all available resources to investigate the cause and mitigate the impact of the outage.

Airports across both countries reported delays. In Spain, AENA, which manages 46 airports, confirmed widespread flight disruptions. Madrid’s Barajas International Airport and Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado were closed after being left without power, and telecommunications have also been affected, with residents across the two countries saying they have no access to mobile networks. Portugal’s airport operator ANA stated that while Porto and Faro airports were operating using emergency generators. Operations at Madeira and Azores airports remained unaffected.

The European Commission announced it was in close contact with authorities in Spain and Portugal, as well as the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), to help determine the cause of the outage and support recovery efforts.

The European Commission said it was “in contact with the national authorities of Spain and Portugal as well as (European electricity transmission system operators’ network) ENTSO-E to understand the underlying cause and the impact of the situation.”

“As per EU legislation in place … there are protocols in place to restore the functioning of the system,” the statement read.

As restoration activities continue, authorities are focused on stabilizing the power supply and ensuring public safety across the affected regions.