On Monday, a significant power outage swept across much of Spain and Portugal, leading to widespread disruption. Flights were canceled, train services came to a standstill, and communication networks were severely affected, leaving thousands without access to their bank accounts due to non-functional ATMs and card payment machines. This unprecedented situation raised concerns and prompted immediate responses from various authorities.
The blackout was attributed to a rare atmospheric phenomenon, as reported by Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN), Portugal's grid operator. According to REN, extreme temperature fluctuations in Spain caused anomalous oscillations in high-voltage power lines. These oscillations led to synchronization failures between systems, triggering the massive blackouts across the European network.
Major cities, including Barcelona, Seville, and Valencia, experienced extensive power loss on Monday. As the blackout continued into the evening, approximately 30,000 security personnel, comprising 15,000 Civil Guard officers and another 15,000 National Police officers, were deployed across Spain to maintain order and assist affected citizens.
By 10 p.m. local time, nearly two-thirds of Spain's electrical grid substations—421 out of a total of 680—were back online. The authorities reported that over 43% of power demand was being met as they collaborated with energy companies to restore electricity throughout the nation. France contributed to the recovery efforts by supplying up to 2,000 MW of electricity, as confirmed by the French grid operator RTE.
In light of the ongoing crisis, Portugal's Prime Minister Luis Montenegro expressed confidence that power would be fully restored within a few hours. Despite the outage, essential state services in Portugal continued to operate as energy companies worked tirelessly to bring back power to customers.
Spain's Minister of Transport, Oscar Puente, reported that as of 12:30 p.m., 26 trains needed evacuation due to the power outage, with over 100 trains stranded. Passengers on many of these trains were eventually rescued, but travelers were advised to avoid car travel due to inoperative traffic lights and heavy congestion.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, announced coordination efforts with Spanish President Pedro Sánchez to facilitate the restoration of power. Von der Leyen emphasized the EU's support in monitoring the situation and collaborating with national authorities to address the crisis.
Amid the chaos, Spain declared a state of emergency as hundreds of thousands, if not millions, were left without power. The Interior Ministry indicated that this status would apply to regions requesting it, including Madrid, Andalusia, and Extremadura. This declaration empowers the central government to assume control of public order and essential services.
Recovery efforts are progressing, but both Spain’s Red Eléctrica and Portugal’s E-Redes (REN) warned that it could take up to a week for the electricity network to fully normalize. Authorities from both countries are expected to convene with electricity grid operators to discuss preventative measures aimed at avoiding future catastrophic blackouts.
In an unexpected gesture of solidarity, Ukraine's Energy Minister German Galushchenko extended support to Europe, offering to share expertise gained from experiences with attacks on energy infrastructure. This highlights the interconnectedness of European nations in times of crisis, as they unite to tackle common challenges.
