Blackout hits Spain, Portugal, and France — what we know so far

On Monday, April 28, a massive power outage swept across Spain, Portugal, and parts of France, disrupting train services, mobile networks, and traffic lights.

This was reported by Euronews.

Blackout in Europe — consequences and possible causes

Preliminary reports suggest that this was one of the largest blackouts in modern European history, with more than 10 GW of demand disconnected.

Spain’s electricity operator stated that recovery plans were activated immediately. Power was first restored in the northern and southern regions, allowing a gradual reconnection across the entire Iberian Peninsula.

Millions of people across Spain, including in Madrid and Barcelona, were left without electricity. Portuguese media reported that the outage affected the entire peninsula.

The blackout temporarily halted operations at train stations, airports, and shops. In Madrid, people evacuated metro stations and gathered on the streets, while shops and offices shut down. Spain’s traffic authority urged drivers to avoid travel due to non-functioning traffic lights.

In France, some regions were affected, but power was restored quickly. French grid operator RTE clarified that the disruption originated on the Iberian Peninsula, not in France itself. An investigation is underway, including a probe into a possible cyberattack.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez convened an emergency meeting with government officials and national grid representatives. Spain’s National Cybersecurity Institute is currently investigating the possibility of a cyberattack behind the incident.

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It also became known that the Kremlin announced a three-day ceasefire in May.