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A significant power outage affected Spain, parts of Portugal, and France on Monday, disrupting transport networks and mobile communications. Authorities cautioned that disruptions might persist into the evening.
Local media reported that officials were investigating whether a cyber attack caused the outage, which halted trains, delayed flights, and disabled traffic lights.
According to data from the Spanish electricity operator, over 10GW of demand was cut during the blackout, indicating one of the most substantial in recent European history.
Red Eléctrica, the operator, indicated it had initiated plans to restore supply in collaboration with industry partners. In a message on X, the operator stated it was investigating the cause of the incident.
The operator later announced progress in restoring voltage in both northern and southern regions, emphasizing the importance of these efforts for gradually recovering energy supply. However, it warned that complete power restoration could take between six and ten hours.
By mid-afternoon, all of Spain’s nuclear power stations remained offline, according to Montel, an energy data specialist, as efforts to manage the disruption continued.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez convened a crisis meeting with senior officials as local reports indicated that the Spanish national cybersecurity institute was probing a potential cyber attack link to the outage.
The outage affected millions across Spain, including cities like Madrid and Barcelona. Portuguese media noted that the nation’s grid operator confirmed the blackout impacted electricity across the Iberian Peninsula.
Spain’s chief traffic authority advised against driving due to non-operational traffic lights. In Madrid, metro stations were evacuated, and several businesses closed. Mobile phone coverage was initially affected.
Aena, the operator of Madrid airport and 45 others, was using backup power to manage operations, resulting in flight delays. The extent of these delays depended on crew and passenger access to airports. Renfe, the primary train operator, suspended all services.
Spain generates 43% of its electricity from wind and solar power, but the grid and storage capabilities have not kept pace with the rapid renewable energy development.
French grid operator RTE noted that France briefly experienced impacts but quickly restored power. It reported the automatic disconnection and subsequent reconnection of the Iberian Peninsula’s power grid from the main continental European network.
RTE stated it was unclear about the outage’s origin but was assisting in the Iberian Peninsula’s power recovery, asserting the issue likely originated there, not in France.
Parts of the Spanish national grid’s website were down on Monday. The company identifies itself as the “backbone of the electricity system.”
The European Commission confirmed it was engaging with Spain, Portugal, and Europe’s grid operators to understand the cause and impact of the situation.
