Madrid, (EFE).- Spain is struggling to recover from an unprecedented power outage that left the entire Iberian Peninsula in the dark on Monday, disrupting transport, hospital services, and daily life for millions.
Authorities say 50% of power consumption has been restored, but the cause of the blackout remains unknown.
Following an emergency meeting of Spain’s National Security Council, Primer Minister Pedro Sánchez said all possible causes are being investigated.
The outage, which began at 12:30 pm local time, also affected neighboring Portugal and southern .
Efforts to restore electricity began in northern and southern regions, but central Spain remained largely without power by late afternoon.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets, forced to walk long distances home due to paralyzed metro and commuter train services, without mobile apps as telecommunications networks also faltered.
Transport systems paralyzed, thousands stranded
Red Eléctrica, Spain’s power system operator, described the incident as an “absolutely exceptional” event triggered by a powerful and unexplained fluctuation in grid power flow.
Rail operator Adif suspended all train services across the country.
Between 30,000 and 35,000 engers were evacuated from stranded trains, and officials warned that full rail service might not resume until Tuesday.
Subway systems in major cities like Madrid and Barcelona also halted operations, although partial service recovery efforts were underway.
Air traffic faced a 20% reduction to maintain safety at Spain’s airports, while authorities urged the public to avoid travel due to non-functional traffic lights and road signs.
In Portugal, around 300,000 of two million power s had their service restored by late afternoon, according to REN, the country’s national electricity and gas operator.
REN officials said priority was being given to restoring power for essential services, particularly healthcare.
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Despite the blackout, Spanish hospitals maintained emergency services with backup generators powering intensive care units and critical equipment.
Routine appointments and procedures were postponed as a part of emergency contingency plans.
“There are no supply problems at hospitals,” Sánchez emphasized in his address while urging citizens to use mobile phones sparingly to preserve battery life.
However, firefighters across Spain reported hundreds of rescues of people trapped in elevators.
Emergency crews worked around the clock to restore a semblance of normalcy amid growing public anxiety.
The blackout has caused widespread disruption across the Iberian Peninsula, with full recovery expected to take at least another day.
Spanish and Portuguese authorities continue investigating the source of the incident, amid heightened public concern and heavy media coverage. EFE
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