Iberian Peninsula Plunged into Darkness: Gradual Return to Normal after Massive Power Outage

On Monday, April 28 at 12:30 p.m., an unprecedented power outage suddenly hit the entire Iberian Peninsula, causing a nearly 60% drop in electricity consumption in Spain in just five seconds. The Portuguese grid was also affected starting at 11:33 a.m. (local time). According to the national operators REE (Spain) and REN (Portugal), this is an exceptionally serious incident, without precedent in the history of either country.

By evening, electricity gradually began returning to several regions. On Tuesday morning, Spain reported that more than 99% of its electricity supply had been restored, while Portugal confirmed that its grid was “perfectly stabilized.”

Transport Paralyzed, Cities at a Standstill, Scenes of Chaos

The outage plunged millions of residents into darkness, disrupting all aspects of daily life. In Madrid, Barcelona, and Lisbon, metros and trains came to an abrupt halt, causing panic among passengers. Spanish railway company Renfe suspended all departures, and several trains remained stranded for hours. Air traffic was also disrupted at major regional airports, although most flights continued thanks to the use of generators.

Road traffic was severely impacted as traffic lights stopped functioning. Authorities recorded 286 emergency interventions in the Madrid region alone, mostly to rescue people trapped in elevators.

In cities, scenes of confusion multiplied: long queues at bus stops, shops closed, a rush on candles and batteries, and mobile phone networks inaccessible. In Lisbon, some residents were trapped in the metro in stifling heat. As night fell, the partial return of electricity was met with applause in several neighborhoods of Madrid and Barcelona.

Cause Still Unclear, All Hypotheses on the Table

The causes of this massive outage remain undetermined for now. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated he had no conclusive information but assured that “all hypotheses are being considered,” including a possible cyberattack—though there is no evidence supporting that scenario at this stage.

Portuguese operator REN mentioned a possible destabilization of the grid caused by extreme temperature variations. The European Commission, in contact with the authorities of both countries, says it is closely monitoring the situation.

France quickly offered assistance, delivering up to 2,000 megawatts of electricity to Catalonia and the Basque Country—equivalent to the output of two nuclear reactors. The Spanish grid also relied on the gradual restart of its gas and hydroelectric plants, while nuclear power stations remained shut down in accordance with safety protocols.