The cause of the widespread blackouts affecting Spain and Portugal remains shrouded in mystery as of Tuesday, following a major disruption that left both countries grappling with the aftermath. While power has largely been restored, some isolated disruptions continue to affect daily life. The blackout, one of the most severe in Europe’s recent history, grounded flights, paralyzed metro systems, disrupted mobile communications, and even shut down ATMs across the Iberian Peninsula on Monday.
By 7 a.m. on Tuesday, over 99% of energy demand in Spain had been restored, according to the country's electricity operator, Red Eléctrica. Meanwhile, REN, the Portuguese grid operator, reported that all 89 power substations were back online, restoring power to approximately 6.4 million customers. As life gradually returned to normal—with schools and offices reopening, traffic easing, and public transport resuming—the Spanish authorities have yet to explain what triggered one of the most serious blackouts in Europe.
Spain, a nation with a population of 49 million, experienced a staggering loss of 15 gigawatts of power, which is equivalent to 60% of its national demand, all occurring in just five seconds. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emphasized that the government’s priorities are twofold: restoring the electrical system and determining the causes of the blackout to prevent a recurrence in the future.
This level of widespread electrical failure is unprecedented on the Iberian Peninsula and rare in Europe. Eduardo Prieto, director of services for system operations at Spain’s electricity operator, highlighted two significant “disconnection events” that occurred back-to-back before the blackout. Speaking at a press conference, he stated that further investigation is necessary to understand the reasons behind these events.
Spain's meteorological agency, AEMET, reported that there were no unusual meteorological or atmospheric phenomena on Monday, nor were there any sudden temperature fluctuations recorded at their weather stations. Additionally, Portugal’s National Cybersecurity Center dismissed rumors of foul play, stating there were no signs of a cyber attack linked to the outage. European Council President Antonio Costa and Teresa Ribera, executive vice president of the European Commission, also ruled out sabotage, although Ribera acknowledged that this incident represents “one of the most serious episodes recorded in Europe in recent times.”
In the wake of the blackout, major train stations in Spain were inundated with travelers on Tuesday morning, many of whom were rebooking tickets for canceled or disrupted journeys. At Madrid’s Atocha station, hundreds waited anxiously for updates, with many having spent the night there wrapped in blankets provided by the Red Cross. Similar scenes unfolded at Barcelona’s Sants station, where travelers faced significant delays.
The Madrid Open tennis tournament, taking place this week, was also impacted by the blackout, leading to a delay in opening its doors on Tuesday after a cancellation the previous day.
By 11 a.m. on Tuesday, service on Madrid’s metro system had been fully restored. However, in Barcelona, normal operations resumed only for the metro, while commuter trains were suspended due to “electrical instability,” as reported by Rodalies Catalunya. In various parts of the country, commuter and mid-distance services remained suspended or were operating at reduced capacity.
Emergency services reported having rescued approximately 35,000 passengers stranded along railways and in underground stations on Monday. The blackout turned numerous sports centers, train stations, and airports into makeshift overnight refuges. One commuter, Rubén Carión, found himself stranded on a train outside Madrid but managed to escape through a window and walk to the nearest transit station. He opted to spend the night at Atocha station instead of seeking hotel accommodations, describing the chaos he experienced as “pure chaos.”
As the investigation continues into the causes of this unprecedented blackout, the people of Spain and Portugal are left navigating the challenges of recovery and restoration.
