Widespread Blackout Hits Spain and Portugal, Disrupting Daily Life
By RENATA BRITO and BARRY HATTON, Associated Press
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A significant power outage struck Spain and Portugal on Monday, affecting around 50 million residents across the Iberian Peninsula. Spanish power distributor Red Eléctrica estimated that it could take 6 to 10 hours to restore power. The blackout led to subway disruptions, halted traffic lights, and crippling ATM failures.
In Madrid, the Madrid Open tennis tournament was interrupted, leaving the venue empty as officials scrambled to address the crisis. In Lisbon, the subway ground to a halt, and many were stuck in elevators as emergency services responded to an influx of requests for assistance.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez held a national security meeting while the Portuguese Cabinet convened an emergency discussion. Initial investigations suggested the issue stemmed from the electricity distribution network in Spain, with Portugal reporting no evidence of a cyberattack.
Traffic lights across major cities failed, and Spanish airports operated on backup systems, resulting in numerous flight delays. Amid the chaos, residents rushed to local stores for generators, and hospitals activated backup power systems as essential services struggled to maintain operations.
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