A widespread electricity outage swept across Spain and Portugal on Sunday, leaving millions without power and disrupting daily life across the Iberian Peninsula. The blackout, which began around midday, was linked to a major failure in an international high-voltage transmission line connecting the two countries.
Spanish electricity operator Red Eléctrica de España (REE) and its Portuguese counterpart REN confirmed that a fault in a key transmission corridor caused cascading failures across multiple regions. Major cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, and Porto reported significant disruptions to transportation systems, businesses, and essential services.
Initial reports suggest that the problem originated from an infrastructure failure in southern France, which then triggered automatic safety mechanisms and disconnected parts of the Spanish and Portuguese grids. Emergency teams worked throughout the afternoon and evening to restore service, with most urban areas regaining power within several hours.
Authorities have stressed that the breakdown was not the result of a cyberattack or intentional sabotage. Energy ministers from both Spain and Portugal announced joint investigations into the incident, aiming to ensure greater resilience in the future.
Meanwhile, industries, hospitals, and transit systems that rely heavily on stable electricity supply faced serious operational challenges. Many hospitals switched to backup generators, and hundreds of train services were delayed or canceled.
This event underscores the growing fragility of interconnected power systems in Europe, especially under increasing stress from rising energy demands and the transition to renewable sources.
More detailed findings from the investigation are expected later this week.
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