A major power outage on Monday left millions across Spain, Portugal, and parts of France without electricity, triggering widespread disruption and chaotic scenes.
A fault in the electricity interconnection between France and Spain contributed to the blackout. It led to the Spanish grid becoming disconnected from the wider European network.
The outage wreaked havoc on public transport, with trains cancelled and evacuated in several regions. Traffic lights failed, leading to gridlocked roads, while delays mounted at airports.
By Monday evening, 11 trains were still stranded. With homes, businesses, and restaurants plunged into darkness – and some people trapped in lifts – Spain’s electricity network operator warned that restoring power could take several hours. By nightfall, electricity was restored to around 50% of affected areas in Spain.
Meanwhile, in Portugal, a state of emergency remained in place. Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said there was currently "no indication" of a cyber attack.
The first reports of power failure emerged around midday, and the situation escalated rapidly. Authorities in Madrid urged residents to stay indoors, avoid using the roads, and refrain from contacting emergency services unless absolutely necessary.
One Spanish operator estimated it could take up to 10 hours to fully restore power, while Portugal’s REN suggested a complete recovery might take up to a week.
Queues formed at cash machines as card payments failed, and some petrol stations closed. The Madrid metro ground to a halt, leaving commuters disoriented in the dark.
There was “panic and hysteria” underground when the lights went out. Mobile phones stopped working, leaving people without information. Traffic was at a standstill. “No one knew what was going on. Businesses were shut, and the buses were packed,” a Madrid resident said.
Hundreds of people were trapped in lifts, prompting emergency services to respond. In Madrid alone, emergency teams were dispatched to 286 buildings. Hospitals across Spain reportedly activated emergency protocols and halted routine operations. Supermarket workers were seen operating in the dark, as businesses struggled to adapt.
Authorities in both Spain and Portugal were still trying to determine the root cause of the outage. European Council President António Costa said there was “no sign of a cyberattack” at this stage.
In a video message, Madrid Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida urged residents to “minimise movement and remain where they are if possible”.
Spain’s nuclear power plants shut down automatically during the blackout, and oil company Moeve halted operations at its refineries.
Transport Minister Puente said many trains were stranded in hard-to-reach areas and faced technical issues. One passenger said her train from Seville to Madrid lost air conditioning and toilet access after the power failed.
“They let everyone off, but we’ve no idea how long we’ll be here,” she told a media outlet. “Some villagers brought water and snacks, which was very kind.”
Airports also faced disruption. EasyJet reported issues at Lisbon and Madrid airports, advising passengers to follow local updates. According to aviation data firm Cirium, 96 flights from Portugal and 45 from Spain were cancelled on Monday.
Businesses took a hit, with some Ikea stores switching to backup generators and temporarily closing to customers. The Madrid Open tennis tournament cancelled its scheduled matches for the day.
Parts of Andorra and southern France were also affected. However, the Balearic and Canary Islands remained untouched.
