Major Power Outage Hits Spain and Portugal.

A massive blackout has struck Spain and Portugal on April 28, 2025, leaving tens of millions without electricity across the Iberian Peninsula. The outage has disrupted daily life, halting transport systems, closing airports and train stations, crashing telecommunications networks, and forcing hospitals to rely on backup generators.

The Spanish grid operator, Red Eléctrica, attributed the cause to a rare atmospheric phenomenon resulting from extreme temperature variations, which induced oscillations in high-voltage power lines and disrupted synchronization between systems. Portuguese grid operator REN reported that the network could take up to a week to return to normal.

Authorities are investigating all possible causes, including the potential of a cyberattack. Emergency meetings are underway in both countries to address the crisis.

Major cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, and Lisbon are affected, with operations at nuclear power plants and large businesses suspended. Parts of southern France have also experienced brief outages.

Authorities advise limiting vehicle use and emphasize ongoing efforts to restore normalcy.