Spain, Portugal power outage: Blackout knocks out subway networks, cuts phone service
LISBON, PORTUGAL - APRIL 28: People buy groceries in a store during a shutdown of electricity on April 28, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. There was a widespread power outage today in Spain and Portugal and parts of France. (Photo by Adri Salido/Getty Imag
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - A blackout brought much of Spain and Portugal to a standstill on Monday, halting subway and railway trains, cutting phone service and shutting down traffic lights and ATM machines for the 50 million people who live across the Iberian Peninsula.
Spain, Portugal power outage: Latest
What we know:
Spanish power distributor Red Eléctrica said that restoring power fully to the country and neighboring Portugal could take 6–10 hours. By mid-afternoon, voltage was progressively being restored in the north, south and west of the peninsula, the company said.
The company declined to speculate on the causes of the huge blackout. The Portuguese National Cybersecurity Center issued a statement saying there was no sign the outage was due to a cyberattack.
LISBON, PORTUGAL - APRIL 28: People buy groceries in a store during a shutdown of electricity on April 28, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. There was a widespread power outage today in Spain and Portugal and parts of France. (Photo by Adri Salido/Getty Imag
Eduardo Prieto, head of operations at Red Eléctrica, told journalists it was unprecedented, calling the event "exceptional and extraordinary."
‘Problem with the distribution network’
Big picture view:
The outage hit across Spain and Portugal, including their capitals, Madrid and Lisbon. Offices closed and traffic was snarled as traffic lights stopped working. It was not possible to make calls on some mobile phone networks, though some apps were working. In Barcelona, residents walked into stores searching for battery-powered radios and civilians directed traffic at junctions along the Gran Via avenue that cuts through the city.
The countries have a combined population of over 50 million people. It was not immediately clear how many were affected. It is rare to have such a widespread outage across the Iberian Peninsula.
LISBON, PORTUGAL - APRIL 28: People buy groceries in a store during a shutdown of electricity on April 28, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. There was a widespread power outage today in Spain and Portugal and parts of France. (Photo by Adri Salido/Getty Imag
Authorities said the cause was not immediately known, though one Portuguese official said the problem appeared to be with the electricity distribution network in Spain.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez convened an extraordinary meeting of Spain’s National Security Council and visited Red Eléctrica to follow efforts at restoring grid operations. Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said he has spoken several times to Sanchez and expected power to be restored by the end of the day
The Portuguese Cabinet convened an emergency meeting at the prime minister’s residence.
Portugal’s government said the outage appeared to stem from problems outside the country, an official told national news agency Lusa.
"It looks like it was a problem with the distribution network, apparently in Spain. It’s still being ascertained," Cabinet Minister Leitão Amaro was quoted as saying.
Portuguese distributor E-Redes said the outage was due to "a problem with the European electricity system," according to Portuguese newspaper Expresso. The company said it was compelled to cut power in specific areas to stabilize the network, according to Expresso.