Spain and Portugal faced a massive power outage that disrupted daily life in both countries. The blackout caused traffic lights to stop working, airports to shut down, and created chaos on roads. Both countries quickly declared a state of emergency to handle the situation.
Portugal’s power grid operator, Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN), reported that the power cut affected the whole Iberian Peninsula and even parts of France. The outage started shortly after midday. By evening, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez admitted that the cause of the blackout was still unknown.
The loss of electricity caused major problems. Lights and power outlets stopped working, and subway systems suddenly shut down. In Madrid, traffic became a mess as drivers tried to navigate without functioning traffic lights.
“I was driving, and suddenly there were no traffic lights. It felt like a jungle,” said Luis Ibáñez Jiménez, a local driver. He described a near accident with a bus due to the confusion on the roads.
The blackout caused serious issues across Spain and Portugal. Transport systems were shut down, and governments in both countries held emergency meetings to manage the crisis.
Spain’s Interior Ministry declared emergencies in regions like Andalucia, Murcia, La Rioja, and Madrid. In Portugal, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro announced an energy crisis, warning that restoring full power would be difficult.
By Monday night, some progress had been made. Power was gradually restored in many areas. In Spain, over 87% of power was back by early Tuesday morning, and all affected substations were working again. Videos on social media showed people in Portugal cheering as electricity returned to their homes.
Madrid’s mayor, José Luis Martinez Almeida, urged residents to stay home unless it was absolutely necessary to go out. He also asked people to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles. Emergency services in Madrid even suggested declaring a national emergency.
Although the reason for the outage is unclear, Antonio Costa, Portugal’s former Prime Minister, said there was no sign of a cyberattack.
Portugal’s Prime Minister blamed Spain for the problem, saying the blackout didn’t start in Portugal. According to João Faria Conceição from REN, Portugal relies on electricity imports from Spain, especially in the morning when solar energy is cheaper. Because of this, Portugal was more affected by the power failure.
The blackout hit major cities like Madrid, Lisbon, Barcelona, and Valencia. These cities are important hubs for travel, business, and tourism. For a few hours, daily life came to a stop. People used cash instead of cards, police directed traffic by hand, and many businesses closed.
Firefighters in Madrid had to rescue people stuck in elevators, and some residents rushed to buy essential items like canned food.
Luckily, some of the worst fears were avoided. Spain’s nuclear plants were confirmed to be safe, and hospitals in both countries switched to backup power.
Travel, however, was heavily affected. Airports in Spain and Portugal faced cancellations and delays. Airlines like TAP Air Portugal asked passengers not to come to the airport until further notice.
In Lisbon’s main airport, people were left in the dark with no air conditioning or running water. Shops could only accept cash. Train services in Spain stopped, and subway cars in Madrid were stranded in tunnels, leaving many passengers stuck.
This blackout disrupted the lives of millions of people in Spain and Portugal, showing how important electricity is to modern life.
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