Iberian blackout: Power crisis disrupts Spain and Portugal
Spain and Portugal experienced a major power outage that paralyzed daily life. Many cities faced power shortages for several hours. In the evening, power was restored in some areas, leading to celebrations in certain places.
What do you need to know?
- The power outage affected Spain and Portugal, causing disruptions in transportation and daily life. In Madrid and other cities, traffic lights, subways, and ATMs were out of service.
- The cause of the outage was the disconnection of the European interconnection system by France.
- Restoration of power took several hours, and in regions like Catalonia, 60% of residents still remain without power.
What were the effects of the power outage in Spain?
On Monday, a major power outage hit Spain and Portugal, leading to significant disruptions in city operations.
In Madrid, traffic lights stopped working, creating chaos on the roads. The subway and ATMs were also down, and some hospitals had to switch to emergency power.
The Spanish energy provider, Red Electrica, stated that restoring power could take from 6 to 10 hours. In the evening, electricity returned to some parts of the country, but repairs are still ongoing in other areas. "Such a severe crisis has never happened before," said Eduardo Prieto from Red Electrica.
"That's how the return of light sounds"
The Spanish radio station Cadena SER posted a short video showing residents celebrating the return of power on Gran Via, Madrid's main street.
"Shouts of joy on the street. This is how the return of light on Gran Via in Madrid sounds," the video was captioned.
"El Pais" reports that in some areas of Madrid, power was restored after more than a nine-hour interruption. A short video captures residents celebrating the return of power by going out onto balconies and clapping.
Power partially restored
Power was also partially restored in other parts of Spain, including Catalonia, Valencia, and Andalusia.
Around 2:00 PM ET, subway service resumed in downtown Bilbao, in the Basque Country. Rail and tram connections are also operational. In Catalonia, it is anticipated that commuter rail services will return to normal on Tuesday.
What caused the power outage on the Iberian Peninsula?
The outage was triggered by the disconnection of the European interconnection system by France.
Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, emphasized at a press conference that within five seconds, 15 gigawatts (GW) of power was lost, accounting for about 60% of the system's power. "This has never happened before," Sanchez noted.
Authorities are considering all scenarios, and efforts to restore full power are ongoing. The government has also decided to release part of the strategic oil reserves to mitigate the outage's impact.
