Massive Blackout Hits Spain and Portugal; Cyberattack Suspected

A widespread power outage struck Spain, Portugal, and Andorra on Monday midday, plunging millions into darkness and crippling transportation and businesses, Anadolu Agency reported. Authorities are investigating the cause, with Spain’s National Institute for Cybersecurity probing potential cyberattack involvement.

Transport systems collapsed, with airports, trains, and metros halted, while traffic lights failed nationwide. Spain’s railway operator confirmed all services were suspended. Oil refineries partially shut down, though hospitals continued operating on backup generators. Communication networks faced severe disruptions, with patchy phone services and intermittent 5G connectivity.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez convened an emergency meeting with energy provider Red Eléctrica. Power was partially restored in the Basque Country after 75 minutes, but most regions remained without electricity 90 minutes later. The Canary and Balearic Islands were unaffected. French media reported localized outages near the border.

Red Eléctrica is working to re-establish full service, but the blackout’s origin remains unclear. The incident marks one of the region’s most severe infrastructure failures in recent years.