Power outage LIVE: Spain declares state of emergency as blackouts leave millions in dark

Daily Telegraph "A reliance on net zero energy left Spain and Portugal vulnerable to the mass blackouts engulfing the region, experts said on Monday night."

Euronews " A nationwide power outage hit Spain and Portugal on Monday, leaving millions without electricity. Reports indicate issues with the European electric grid. Updates to follow."

AFP "No power, no phone, no transport - Spain in a panic"

DW News "A massive power outage has hit Spain, Portugal, and parts of France. Transport networks have been disrupted, as have financial services and telecommunications."

Daily Mail "Is Net Zero to blame for Spain blackout chaos? Why green power may have exacerbated anarchy as 30,000 officers are deployed to the streets and panic-buying empties shelves amid state of emergency"

(Image: Getty)

The Canary Islands have been plunged into chaos after a major telecommunications failure left mobile phones, landlines and internet services down across the region, according to a major Spanish-language news outlet.

The full scale of the disruption is not yet clear, but according to El País, authorities are urgently investigating the cause as thousands struggle to stay connected.

Residents have been urged to remain patient as engineers work to restore critical services.

Hundreds of people have been stranded at Los Rodeos Airport due to the general blackout in Spain (Image: Getty)

Several regions of Spain are affected by internet outages (Image: Fing.com)

Bloomberg energy columnist and author Javier Blas has posted on his X account: "The two major state / nations to suffer large blackouts since 2020 — Texas and Spain — have one thing in common: both are electricity islands, with tiny interconnection to neighbouring grids. In Texas, by design; in Spain, by policy inertia / lobbying."

In another post, he continues: " I find very difficult to believe that the Spanish government doesn’t have by now a rough idea of the origin of the blackout. I don’t mean a full root analysis, with chain of events. I mean a rough, but informed, view."

Spain’s King Felipe VI will chair a crucial meeting of the country’s national security council tomorrow, following a decision made alongside Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, it has been reported.

According to palace sources cited by El País, the move comes “given the special circumstances” facing the country.

In a further sign of the situation’s seriousness, King Felipe and Queen Letizia have cancelled a planned visit to the city of Jaén in Andalusia, which had been scheduled for Tuesday.

The royal family and government are expected to focus on the latest developments as Spain grapples with the growing crisis.

(Image: Getty)

Delegación del Gobierno en Madrid (Government Delegation of Madrid) has stated via its X account the following, translated from Spanish into English:

"In the Community of Madrid, more than 80% of the supply has been restored. Reinforcement of the @policia, @guardiacivil and @UMEgob devices that are working on security and citizen care, especially at key points such as Barajas Airport, Chamartín and Atocha stations where food and blankets are distributed."

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has revealed that a “strong oscillation” in the European power grid was responsible for the major outage that hit parts of Europe on Sunday.

Speaking after widespread disruptions were reported, Mr Sanchez said the cause of the oscillation was still under investigation. He called for calm and urged the public to avoid speculation while experts work to determine exactly what happened.

The Prime Minister also appealed to citizens to contact emergency services only if absolutely necessary, in order to keep lines open for urgent cases.

Authorities across several European countries are continuing to monitor the situation closely as efforts to stabilise the network move forward.

5 hours ago22:39 Aditi Rane

(Image: Getty)

(Image: Getty)

6 hours ago22:36 Aditi Rane

A major "technical issue" between France and Spain’s power connection triggered today’s unprecedented blackout across the Iberian Peninsula, according to Europe's top energy bosses.

Kristian Ruby, General Secretary of trade body EURELECTRIC, told BBC's The World Tonight that the incident was a "once-in-50-years, if not 100-years" event, calling it "something very, very rare."

Ruby confirmed there was a "specific technical issue" with an interconnector between France and Spain, which ultimately disconnected Spain’s grid from the wider European network earlier today.

He added: "On its own, this incident shouldn't have caused a full blackout across Spain and Portugal. My assessment is there are likely other factors at play that made this situation spiral."

Investigations are ongoing as millions across Spain and Portugal are still grappling with the aftermath of the massive outage.

6 hours ago22:04 Aditi Rane

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has confirmed half of the country's power has been restored.

Work will continue to restore the rest of the power tomorrow, he confirmed.

6 hours ago22:03 Aditi Rane

Portugal’s acting Prime Minister Luis Montenegro has insisted that power will be fully restored “within hours” after today’s devastating blackout.

Speaking this evening, Montenegro reassured the public that all essential state services remain up and running despite the turmoil. However, he warned that the full recovery could still take longer than in neighbouring Spain.

Earlier, Portugal’s grid operator REN explained that restoring power is a far trickier task for them, as the country relies solely on its own resources, unlike Spain, which can draw help from France and Morocco.

Officials stressed that operations of this scale are "particularly complex," as engineers work round the clock to bring the nation back online.

6 hours ago22:00 Aditi Rane

Spain is still reeling after a huge nationwide blackout plunged large parts of the country into chaos, with 11 trains reportedly still stranded tonight.

Transport Minister Oscar Puente revealed that although power has been restored to a key control centre, major problems remain. He said difficulties coupling locomotives and the remote locations of the stranded trains are hampering rescue efforts.

7 hours ago21:24 Aditi Rane

Spain's power provider, Red Electrica have confirmed around 35% of the country's power has been restored.

They said: "We can currently estimate the recovered demand at around 9,200 MW, which represents approximately 35% of the forecast demand."

7 hours ago20:43 Aditi Rane

Spanish grid operator Red Electrica reported that more than 20% of the affected power capacity has been restored, with electricity supply being progressively reinstated through domestic sources and imports from France. ​

The outage, described as "absolutely exceptional" by Red Electrica, was triggered by a strong oscillation in power flows that led to the disconnection of Spain and Portugal's electrical systems from the European grid.

8 hours ago20:20 Aditi Rane

There are glimmers of hope in Madrid tonight as power starts to return to parts of the capital, with some shops and metro stations slowly lighting back up.

In a major boost, rural areas north of Madrid have also reported electricity and WiFi being restored, offering a much-needed lifeline to stranded residents.

However, chaos is far from over. Public transport remains at a complete standstill, with trains and metro services still shut down. Security teams have gathered outside the city’s busy Sol metro station, fuelling hopes it could reopen within hours.

Authorities are racing to restore full services, but the situation remains tense as millions wait anxiously for normal life to resume.

Power is slowly returning to Spain (Image: Getty)

8 hours ago20:01 Aditi Rane

TAP Air Portugal has issued an urgent warning to passengers planning to fly from Lisbon, telling them to stay away from the airport until further notice as a blackout plunged Portugal and Spain into turmoil on Monday.

Millions were left without power as massive outages triggered chaos across both countries, bringing everyday life to a screeching halt.

Traffic ground to a standstill in Madrid and Lisbon, with furious drivers stuck for hours as traffic lights failed and roads became gridlocked.

Spain’s entire rail network was forced to shut down, while airports across the Iberian Peninsula scrambled to cancel flights, leaving thousands of holidaymakers stranded and desperate for information.

With no clear timeline for when electricity will return, the situation remains critical as authorities scramble to contain the fallout.

9 hours ago19:37 Aditi Rane

The country’s interior ministry confirmed today that emergency powers will be triggered in any region that requests it — with Madrid, Andalusia and Extremadura already calling for urgent central government intervention to maintain public order and essential services.

Millions have been left without electricity, as key sectors including transport and telecommunications grind to a halt across the country.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez revealed that a "strong oscillation" in the national grid sparked the outage, but admitted the true cause remains a mystery.

Officials are now scrambling to restore power and prevent further disruption as the nation reels from one of the worst blackouts in its history.

(Image: Getty)

9 hours ago19:08 Aditi Rane

Power is slowly returning across parts of Spain after a major blackout plunged large areas into darkness earlier today.

Spanish power operator Red Electrica has confirmed that electricity has been restored in several regions in the North, including Catalonia, Aragon, the Basque Country, Galicia, Asturias, Navarre, Castile and Leon, Extremadura, Andalusia, and La Rioja.

In a statement, the company said: "Power has already been restored at substations in several areas," adding that efforts are continuing to bring the entire grid back online. Officials warned, however, that full restoration would take time as the system stabilises.

9 hours ago19:04 Aditi Rane

Marilo Sanchez, 33, a Spanish citizen living in London, told the Express she was panicking about not being able to reach her family since the power outages erupted.

“It is scary because I can’t hear from my family anymore.

“I have only got two messages from them all day, one at 12:30pm and the other at 6:30pm, telling me they did not have any lights or power. The power briefly came back on and their message came through. The internet has been coming and going for them.

"One of my friends is concerned because he doesn’t have any food and can’t buy any because the ATM and card machines aren’t working.

“It’s scary because we don’t know what’s caused it.”

10 hours ago18:32 Aditi Rane

EuroCommerce, the European association for retailers and wholesalers, is urging consumers to stay calm and avoid panic buying.

In a statement, EuroCommerce said that retailers and wholesalers are collaborating with local authorities to manage the ongoing disruption caused by the blackout.

While some stores may temporarily close as power is restored, efforts are being made to ensure the safety and security of both consumers and staff.

The association also highlighted that, while the full extent of the outage is still being assessed, disruptions to payment systems and store operations are already being reported, along with a rise in misinformation.

Media reports have shown long queues at supermarkets, with shelves being cleared as shoppers fear the possibility of extended power outages.

The power failure, which has affected large areas of both Spain and Portugal, has disrupted daily life, including transportation, businesses, and homes, according to Reuters.

Consumers urged to avoid panic buying (Image: Getty)

10 hours ago18:14 Aditi Rane

10 hours ago18:02 Aditi Rane

Traffic lights reportedly stopped working suddenly, resulting in several collisions.

A woman told Sky News she was on the way to the airport when the traffic lights stopped working.

Emma Jackson said she was en route to to Lisbon's airport.

"When we arrived at the airport, only parts of it were lit up, and the self-check-in kiosks weren’t working," Emma, who had been celebrating her 59th birthday with friends, said.

She was meant to fly back to Manchester.

"After waiting for about an hour, we were told over the PA to leave the airport because of the power outage."

This left hundreds of travelers waiting outside in the heat, with no way to get to their next destinations.

Emma recalled the chaos at the airport upon her arrival. Emma Jackson

'Several collisions' were caused as a result of traffic light failures (Image: Getty)

10 hours ago17:55 Emily Wright

A doctor in Madrid has told El Pais that " local police have been here and are going to try to get a generator".

“To measure heart rate and pulse, you need a light, but the devices have batteries, and their lifespan is limited, and we don't know how much longer they have."

“We can't talk to the night shift doctors to find out if they'll be able to come."

10 hours ago17:46 Emily Wright

(Image: Getty)

(Image: Getty)

10 hours ago17:39 Emily Wright

Desparate residents and tourists in Madrid are reverting back to taxis as they are unable to use the Uber and Cabify apps as there is no internet connection.

Everyone raises their hands on the street. We can't keep up,” said a local taxi driver, reported El Pais.

Many are not even charging some passengers whose electronic payments aren't work and don't have cash.

11 hours ago17:31 Emily Wright

The area around Plaza Catalunya in Barcelona has power back on. Some of the traffic lights in the area which were out of service are now operating normally.

The electricity system has been restored to 26% in Catalonia, according to Interior Minister Núria Parlón, following the second meeting of the crisis cabinet. Parlón predicted that full service is expected to be restored in the coming hours, with Metro lines 1 and 5 in particular, already operating partially. Trains services will be replaced by buses.

The 112 emergency services responded to 1,679 incidents related to the massive blackout as of 4:30 pm local time. The regional firefighters, who cover almost all municipalities except the capital, made 210 calls, most of them elevator rescues.

Red Electrica has also reported that service has been restored in areas of Catalonia, Aragon, the Basque Country, Galicia, Asturias, Navarre, Castile and León, Extremadura and Andalusia.

11 hours ago17:21 Emily Wright

11 hours ago17:12 Emily Wright

PM Sanchez is urging citizens to use their mobile phones responsibly as telecommunications are at a critical moment in Spain.

"We are going through a critical few hours until we have electricity restored. We need to keep calls short. Let's only use 112 when necessary. Let's use cell phones responsibly."

"Security protocols have been implemented, and the Executive has declared an electricity crisis. Three regions have requested civil protection level three: Andalusia, Extremadura, and Madrid. The Government will assume management," Sánchez added.

He said that "no hypothesis is being ruled out" as to the cause of the massive blackout, asking citizens to pay attention only to news disseminated through "official channels".

Spanish PM asks citizens to act with 'responsibility' (Image: Getty)

11 hours ago17:08 Emily Wright

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has begun speaking to the media at a news conference.

He has said the cause of the power cut is still unknown and warns against speculation.

No cause can be discredited at this point, he added.

11 hours ago17:03 Emily Wright

Spain's Transport Minister Oscar Puente has said it is not likely that medium and long-distance trains will resume normal service today. Shorter distance commuter services may resume soon as the electricity supply has been restored.

Efforts are also underway to rescue those trapped on stranded services.

The aim will be to resume service for tomorrow if the supply is restored today.

11 hours ago16:56 Emily Wright

Spain's nuclear reactors are in "safe condition" despite the country's power outages, Spain's nuclear safety council has said.

The reactors automatically shut down after the outage but emergency generators kicked in.

This was in line with how Spain's power plants are designed to respond to an unexpected power outage, the council added.

Spain's nuclear reactors safe, says safety council. (Image: Getty)

12 hours ago16:20 Emily Wright

A video posted on X showing streets in Barcelona put into perspective what many parts of Spain look like due to the massive power outage.

Crowds of people are on the streets while shops lie empty and dark.

12 hours ago16:14 Emily Wright

“Power outages in Portugal and Spain are impacting access to some airports and affecting some airports operations including Lisbon, Madrid and Barcelona," easyJet has said in a statement.

"Like all airlines, we are experiencing some disruption to our flying programme meaning that some return flights from Lisbon and Madrid have been unable to operate," the airline said, adding: "Our flying programme at Porto and Faro airports is operating as planned."

The airline is advising customers to check local travel advice and their flight tracker for information on their flights.

"For passengers who are in Spain or Portugal and unable to travel to the airport today, we are providing free of charge transfers to an alternative easyJet flight within 72 hours or a flight voucher.”

12 hours ago16:07 Emily Wright

The Spanish grid operator, Red Electrica, has said that power is being restored "in several areas of the north, south and west of the [Iberian] peninsula".

The statement adds that work is underway to "gradually" recover electricity throughout the region.

Voltage has been recovered in some areas and consumers will start to see supply returning, it said.

12 hours ago16:04 Emily Wright

12 hours ago15:57 Emily Wright

French grid operator RET is helping supply Spain's electrical network, it has said.

The operator has said it has already re-supplied 700 MW of Spanish consumption and it will increase aid as soon as the Iberian grid can receive it.

Homes in the French Basque Country were left without power earlier today, but this has since been restored.

French grid operator supplying electricity to Spain. (Image: Getty)

12 hours ago15:50 Emily Wright

The high-speed rail operator Ouigo has suspended all services scheduled on Monday afternoon and evening.

"Due to a general incident affecting the power supply, train service is interrupted. Therefore, and as these are force majeure events, all trains today, April 28, are canceled," the company announced on social media.

Renfe nor Iryo - other high-speed rail operators in Spain - have yet announced the suspension of scheduled departures.

13 hours ago15:27 Emily Wright

Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, has said there are no indications that today's power outage has been caused by a cyber attack at this point.

The president added that he is in contact with Spain and Portugal's prime ministers and with grid operators and are " working on finding the cause, and on restoring the electricity supply".

No indications of a cyber attack, says European Council president. (Image: Getty)

13 hours ago15:24 Emily Wright

Portugal's REN has also said that due to the complexity of the phenomenon, restoring power across the country could take a substantial amount of time.

It added that "the need to rebalance electricity flows internationally, it is estimated that full normalisation of the network could take up to a week".

Spain, meanwhile, said restoring its own power could take between six and 10 hours.

13 hours ago15:20 Emily Wright

Portugal's grid operator, REN (Rede Eletrica Nacional), has said the interruptions to the country's power supply were due to a "fault in the Spanish electricity grid".

They added that this was related to a "rare atmospheric phenomenon" within Spain.

"There were anomalous oscillations in the very high voltage lines (400 KV), a phenomenon known as 'induced atmospheric vibration'".

13 hours ago15:18 Emily Wright

Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen has revealed that "some regions [in Spain and Portugal] have already restored electricity".

He added that " "grid operators and ENTOS-e are doing everything possible on the ground" to fix the issue.

13 hours ago15:05 Emily Wright

13 hours ago15:03 Emily Wright

In London, Gatwick Airport has reported issues, telling the BBC it is experiencing short delays on flights to Spain and Portugal.

The airport says there have so far been no cancellations and it's waiting for the issues to be resolved.

Budget airline Ryanair has said it is monitoring potential disruptions to flights operating to and from all airports in mainland Spain and Portugal.

14 hours ago14:32 Emily Wright

Reports suggest that large areas across Spain and Portugal have been left without running water.

According to Sky News, people have reported seeing people "panic buying" water and other supplies in supermarkets.

Water aisles in supermarkets have been cleaned out, with locals turning to sparkling and expensive brands as the cheap water ran out.

14 hours ago14:30 Emily Wright

Madrid's mayor, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, has called on all residents in the Spanish capital to restrict their movements where possible.

"I ask all residents of Madrid to keep their movements to an absolute minimum and, if at all possible, to remain where they are. We want to keep all roads clear," he said.

He also urged residents to only call emergency services if it is "truly urgent" and that they should go to police and fire stations in person if calls go unanswered.

14 hours ago14:19 Emily Wright

A group of six people - five students and a teacher - were trapped for two hours in an elevator at the LCI School of Design and Visual Arts in Barcelona.

The emergency bell was out of service, so they had to shout to people outside. Some of the trapped students suffered anxiety attacks due to claustrophobia and lack of air.

“I started crying,” said one.

A group of teachers finally used a metal object to force open the doors and free those inside.

14 hours ago14:07 Emily Wright

Here is a rundown of everything we know has been affected by the huge blackout in Spain and Portugal, including in Madrid, Lisbon, Barcelona and Porto.

- Parts of France's Basque Country (near the Spanish border) was briefly caught by the outage.

- Transport, including trains, metros, airports and traffic lights are down.

- Internet and mobile coverage affected.

- Backup generators in place in many homes, businesses and other buildings and lights go out.

14 hours ago14:01 Emily Wright

Portuguese power website down (Image: e-redes.pt)

14 hours ago13:58 Emily Wright

Portuguese airline TAP Air has warned passengers not to head to airports until further notice.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the airline says some services are not operating as usual and asks passengers to await more information.

14 hours ago13:54 Emily Wright

14 hours ago13:51 Emily Wright

Eduardo Prieto, director of services for Red Eléctrica operations, stated that full restoration of service could take between six and 10 hours.

According to El Pais, in a press conference Prieto stated that he could not speculate about the cause of the incident, beyond the fact that the grid has registered "fluctuations in power flows across the networks" that have led to "the collapse of the Spanish electricity system."

14 hours ago13:43 Emily Wright

The EU Commission has said it is in contact with national authorities in Spain, Portugal and the EU's power grid body, ENTSO-e.

Discussions are taking place between officials to understand the underlying cause behind this mass outage and its impact.

14 hours ago13:40 Emily Wright

Madrid has activated operational status 2 of the Territorial Plan of the Community of Madrid (PLATERCAM) in response to the power outage.

This provides for the intervention of the State or local governments to control emergencies in which extensive damage occurs.

There is only one major security level - Level 3.

However, the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, is asking PM Pedro Sánchez to activate the Level 3 emergency response. "We ask the national government to activate Plan 3 so that the Army can maintain order if necessary."

15 hours ago13:32 Emily Wright

Juan Manuel Moreno has indicated that hospitals are operating normally because they have power generators.

According to a spokesperson from Vall d'Hebron Hospital in Barcelona, ​​the largest healthcare centre in Catalonia, the backup system gives them 40 hours of autonomy to maintain activity.

"For now, the situation is under control," he told El Pais. "The priority is, obviously, urgent activity. Therefore, all non-urgent procedures and outpatient consultations have been cancelled."

15 hours ago13:30 Emily Wright

The president of the Andalusian regional government, Juan Manuel Moreno, has confirmed that according to the information provided to him by the regional cybersecurity center, "everything points to a blackout of this magnitude only being due to a cyberattack."

Moreno, however, confirmed that he had not received any communication from the Spanish government regarding the widespread power outage and that he reached this conclusion "solely based on our own data."

He has also expressed concern about the duration of the blackout: "We'll see how long this will last because the generators only have a 24-hour capacity."

15 hours ago13:24 Emily Wright

Maddie Sephton, who is from west London, was on the Madrid Metro when the power outage occurred.

"We got on the train and everything was fine," she told Sky News. "But then everything went dark.

"I currently don't have any internet service and just €15 in my wallet - I can't withdraw any money from the ATM," she added.

"People are just walking but have nowhere to go, and nothing to do."

She was stuck on the train for 20 minutes until a member of staff manually opened the doors. She said she was on the way to the airport at the time and had to exit the station by hiking up 15 flights of stairs with her luggage.

(Image: Getty)

15 hours ago13:20 Emily Wright

Reports are coming in from businesses continuing to work without power.

According to Sky News, a cook from La Cocinona restaurant in Madrid are working in darkness in their kitchen using a phone torch.

Meanwhile, on Ferrocarril de Arganzuela Street, haircuts are being done on the street instead of closing. According to El Pais, they are only able to simple cuts. The clipper battery has enough power for three more haircuts.

15 hours ago13:16 Emily Wright

Spain'c traffic authority, DGT, has urged Spanish citizens not to use their cars unless necessary.

Traffic jams have ensued on the roads of Madrid due to traffic lights being out.

15 hours ago13:14 Emily Wright

This video below shows the exact moment that Spain, Portugal and other parts of Europe lost power.

Coco Gauff is seen giving her interview, before the screens go black and the microphone turns off.

15 hours ago13:09 Emily Wright

Spain's government has called a crisis meeting at the offices of the country's grid operator.

Spanish newspaper El Pais says the meeting will take place at Red Electrica in Madrid.

Spain's prime minister and energy minister have travelled to the HQ to monitor the situation.

15 hours ago13:03 Emily Wright

Play at the Madrid Open has been suspended due to the power cut.

According to Sky News, the UK's Jacob Fearnley was forced off court after the loss of power affected the scoreboards and the camera above the court.

The camera's position was stuck in the eyeline of the players, meaning play could not continue. The players were taken off court.

15 hours ago13:00 Emily Wright

Passengers have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to share that they are stranded in Valencia airport in Spain as a result of the blackout.

This is some 178 miles from Madrid, illustrating just how large this power outage is.

15 hours ago12:57 Emily Wright

Pictures reveal chaos in Spain (Image: uncredited)

15 hours ago12:56 Emily Wright

According to Javier Blas, Energy and commodities columnist at Bloomberg, data from Spain's national grid shows a lost of >10 GW of demand, from ~26GW to ~12GW in a few seconds.

The reason for the outage remains unknown.

15 hours ago12:54 Emily Wright

Spanish media reports that parts of France also appear to be affected.

Gibraltar appears to be the only region on the Iberian peninsula with electricity.

15 hours ago12:51 Emily Wright

Spain's national railway operator, Renfe, has said that the power outage began at 11.30am BST.

It describes the outage as being on a "national level".

Power outage is on a 'national level'. (Image: Getty)

15 hours ago12:48 Emily Wright

Videos on social media show people trapped in elevators and rail traffic at a standstill.

One video shows the current situation at the Sol Metro station in Madrid.

Spanish radio is reporting that the capital's underground is being evacuated and there are traffic jams on the road due to traffic lights not working.

15 hours ago12:46 Emily Wright

According to local media outlets in Spain, the main airport that serves Madrid has no power.

"Power has not yet been restored to Barajas Airport," El Mundo says.

In 2024, 66.2 million passengers used its facilities.

Spain's busiest airport without power. (Image: Getty)

15 hours ago12:43 Emily Wright

Large parts of Spain and Portugal - including their capitals Madrid and Lisbon and Portugal - have been hit by a mass power outage.

Spanish power grid operator Red Electrica has said it is working with energy companies to restore power.

15 hours ago12:39 Callum Hoare