Canary Islands power cuts LIVE: La Palma hit by major outage

9 mins ago12:47 Kris Boratyn

On April 28, much of Spain and parts of Portugal were plunged into darkness during a major power cut.

Cities including Madrid and Lisbon were hit. Public transport was halted, flights delayed, and digital services went down.

Power was gradually restored overnight, but questions still remain over what triggered the collapse of the national grid.

Some sources indicate that the problem may have been triggered by the disconnection of some solar plants in southwest Spain, but the grid would normally be able to balance this out through regulation.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has pledged “all necessary measures will be taken” to prevent similar blackouts in future.

Power cuts caused chaos in Spain at the end of April. (Image: Getty)

10 mins ago12:46 Kris Boratyn

In an interview with broadcaster RTVC, local councillor Carlos Rodríguez confirmed that the Aridane Valley is the most affected area on the island.

However, several other regions remain without power as engineers continue restoration work.

Aridane Valley is the most affected area on the island. (Image: Getty)

22 mins ago12:34 Kris Boratyn

Fernando González, La Palma’s Energy Minister, said blackouts “cause serious harm,” particularly to vulnerable residents and local businesses.

He has called for tighter monitoring and inspections of the island’s energy infrastructure.

However, unlike mainland Spain and Portugal, La Palma wasn’t affected by the massive blackout on April 28 that knocked out power in cities like Madrid and Lisbon.

23 mins ago12:33 Kris Boratyn

Once electricity returns, officials are urging people not to switch on all appliances at once.

Gradual use is recommended to prevent overwhelming the grid as it stabilises.

(Image: Getty)

24 mins ago12:32 Kris Boratyn

The blackout began around 10am local time and left residents and tourists in the dark across a large stretch of the island.

Towns affected included Los Llanos de Aridane, Breña Alta, Santa Cruz de La Palma, and Fuencaliente.

More than 20 communities were affected, stretching across the island.

Local media estimate that as many as 30,000 people may have been affected.

The island’s power company, Endesa, and national grid operator Red Eléctrica are currently working to fully restore supply.

30 mins ago12:26 Kris Boratyn

According to Javier Llamas, the mayor of the town of Aridane, "more than half of the power outage has already been restored".

The official spoke to local radio stations at around 12pm.

The La Palma council has also told residents to stay calm and only call the emergency services when absolutely necessary to avoid overwhelming them.

They also advised to save the battery on mobile phones just in case.

40 mins ago12:16 Kris Boratyn

According to social media reports, this is the second time La Palma has experienced a power outage this week. 

One of the island's residents wrote on X: " Blackout in La Palma.

"The northern half of the island is without power again... and that's the second time in a week!!"  

42 mins ago12:14 Kris Boratyn

Unlike the recent incident, today's outage in La Palma has not reportedly caused any disruptions to airport operations.

However, authorities continue to monitor the situation.

49 mins ago12:07 Kris Boratyn

This latest power cut comes just over a week after a major blackout left large parts of mainland Spain and Portugal without electricity.

That outage, on April 28, impacted major cities including Madrid, Barcelona and Lisbon.

The power cut paralysed Barcelona's rail networl. (Image: Getty)

50 mins ago12:06 Kris Boratyn

Local authorities have confirmed that the cause of the outage is still unknown.

However, early indications suggest the issue may be linked to the Los Guinchos power station on the island.

51 mins ago12:05 Kris Boratyn

Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the major power outage in Spain's La Palma.

A widespread power cut has been reported on the Canary Island of La Palma this morning.

Around 30,000 people are currently without electricity, according to local media reports.