MADRID/LISBON, 29, 2025: A major electrical failure struck Spain and Portugal, crippling public transportation, creating severe traffic bottlenecks, and holding up numerous flights.
Efforts were quickly launched by energy companies to stabilize the grid, but Spain’s national electricity supplier, Red Eléctrica, warned that the disruption, whose root cause was initially unclear, could endure for six to ten hours.
Officials mentioned that a cyber-attack could not be ruled out as a potential cause.
The blackout triggered widespread disruption, with traffic signals ceasing to function and resulting in paralyzed roads.
Public transit services ground to a halt, hospitals faced power failures, and passengers found themselves stuck in subways and elevators.
In central Madrid, throngs of people gathered outside office complexes while authorities maintained a strong security presence. Police managed traffic manually and patrolled major avenues using flashing lights.
Leaders from Spain and Portugal convened to assess the crisis, which even briefly extended into parts of France.
Spain set up an emergency task force to tackle the unfolding situation, according to sources close to the discussions.
“The administration is investigating the source and the magnitude of this event and is mobilizing every available resource to bring it under control swiftly,” stated a spokesperson from the Spanish government.
Red Eléctrica confirmed it was collaborating closely with regional power providers to restore electricity. Portugal’s main grid operator, REN, initiated a structured plan to gradually bring back power supplies.
The Madrid Open tennis tournament also suffered, as play was suspended mid-match, forcing 15th seed Grigor Dimitrov and Britain’s Jacob Fearnley to exit the court when power cuts disabled the scoreboards and overhead equipment.
The European Commission reported ongoing communication with Spanish and Portuguese authorities, along with ENTSO-E, the European network of power operators, to identify the blackout’s trigger.
Such large-scale power failures are uncommon in Europe.
In 2003, a disruption involving a hydroelectric link between Switzerland and Italy left Italy without power for nearly half a day.
In Madrid, the atmosphere was tense, with the sounds of police sirens and helicopters echoing throughout the city.
The prominent Torre Emperador tower was evacuated via stairwells. Many residents scrambled to contact schools, as mobile networks faltered.
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Madrid’s Mayor, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, appealed through a video on X for residents to limit movement and remain where they were.
Flight operations experienced setbacks. Spain’s airport authority, AENA, confirmed delays across multiple airports.
Meanwhile, Portugal’s airport operator ANA deployed emergency generators to keep essential operations running at Porto and Faro airports.
Lisbon Airport continued functioning with restrictions, while Madeira and Azores airports remained unaffected.
