A massive and unprecedented power outage hit Spain and Portugal on Monday, leaving millions across the Iberian Peninsula without electricity. The blackout, which began around midday, also affected parts of southern France and briefly Belgium.
Authorities in both countries reported that airports in Madrid and Lisbon suspended operations, metro trains were immobilized, hospitals switched to emergency power, and mobile networks were severely disrupted, leaving much of the region at a standstill. Power grid operators Red Eléctrica (Spain) and REN (Portugal) warned that full restoration could take six to ten hours.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez convened an emergency National Security Council meeting and visited the Red Eléctrica control center to oversee the situation. The Portuguese government similarly held urgent meetings, noting that the problem appeared to have originated outside of Portugal.
Early reports suggest the blackout may be linked to a fire in southern France that damaged a high-voltage power line between Perpignan and Narbonne, affecting the European electricity grid and causing cascading failures across Spain and Portugal. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a cyberattack, though no evidence has been found so far.
