Electricity Crisis Hits Spain, Portugal, and France

Massive Power Outage Cripples Spain, Portugal, and Parts of France

Lisbon | Madrid | Paris. A massive and unprecedented power outage swept across Spain, Portugal, and parts of southern France on Monday, disrupting daily life for millions. The blackout, one of the worst in Europe’s recent history, triggered chaos in major cities, halted transportation, grounded flights, and forced businesses and hospitals to operate on emergency power.

The outage struck around 12:30 PM CET, triggered by high-voltage line anomalies linked to extreme temperature fluctuations in Spain. According to Portuguese grid operator REN and Spain’s Red Eléctrica, voltage oscillations disrupted the power grid’s synchronization, leading to a cascading failure across the Iberian Peninsula.

Chaos Across Cities

In Spain, major cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville saw widespread blackouts. Public transport services were suspended, traffic lights failed, and emergency services were stretched thin as they manually managed traffic and public safety.

Portugal faced a similar fate: Lisbon’s metro system and train services came to a standstill. Airports in Lisbon, Porto, and Faro were forced to operate under generator power, with Lisbon Airport eventually shutting down temporarily. Hospitals switched to backup systems to continue critical operations.

Parts of southern France, especially around Perpignan and Narbonne, also experienced brief but severe power losses.

Commercial Impact

The blackout crippled commercial activity. IKEA stores in Spain switched to backup generators and barred entry to customers, while stores in Portugal closed completely. Spanish oil refiner Petronor shut down all units at its Bilbao facility, a major blow to regional energy supply.

Retail stores witnessed panic buying, with citizens scrambling for essentials amid the uncertainty.

Official Response

Both the Spanish and Portuguese governments held emergency meetings. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urged citizens to stay calm and follow official updates, emphasizing there was no evidence of a cyberattack or sabotage.

REN stated investigations were ongoing but ruled out cyber threats for now, focusing instead on environmental causes and technical faults.

Restoration Efforts Underway

Power restoration efforts began by late afternoon, with some regions regaining electricity within hours. Red Eléctrica called the event “exceptional and totally extraordinary,” estimating full restoration could take up to 10 hours.

The European Union’s emergency coordination center is also monitoring the situation closely, offering technical support if needed.

As authorities investigate the exact causes, the blackout has reignited concerns about the resilience of Europe’s aging energy infrastructure amid rising climate pressures.