Power Outages Disrupt Spain and Portugal, Grounding Flights and Halting Trains

A massive power outage on Monday left parts of Spain and Portugal without electricity, causing widespread disruptions.

The outage led to the failure of traffic lights, delays at airports, and halted trains, with authorities working urgently to restore power and determine the cause.

The blackout affected the entire Iberian Peninsula, including parts of France. Portugal’s grid operator, Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN), confirmed the outage and said it was a widespread issue. Spanish power grid operator Red Eléctrica also acknowledged the failure and stated that efforts were underway to restore service.

“The causes are being analyzed, and all resources are being dedicated to solving it,” Red Eléctrica said in a statement.

The impact of the outage was felt across multiple sectors. In Madrid, traffic piled up as traffic lights stopped working.

“It was a bit of a jungle,” said Luis Ibáñez Jiménez, a driver caught in the chaos.

At the Madrid Open tennis tournament, play was suspended as the arena was plunged into darkness. Meanwhile, in Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado airport, passengers were left stranded in the dark with no air conditioning, running water, or access to services beyond cash-only shops.

In addition to the grid issues, Portuguese police urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel due to the failure of traffic lights.

“Reduce your speed and pay extra attention,” they advised. “Your calmness saves lives.”

Similarly, the metro systems in Lisbon and Porto were halted, while train services in Spain were also suspended, with Spanish train operator Renfe announcing cancellations and delays.

Despite widespread disruptions, officials are still investigating the cause of the outage, with cyberattack concerns not yet ruled out. A statement from REN confirmed that work was underway to restore electricity in phases. Meanwhile, Spain’s National Cybersecurity Institute is monitoring the situation closely, although no definitive cause has been established.

With input from CNN, Reuters, and Forbes.