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Massive Blackout Disrupts Iberian Peninsula and Southern France

Power restoration progresses as investigations probe technical and cyber causes of unprecedented grid failure.

Usuarios del Metro de Madrid abandonan una de las estaciones del suburbano tras registrarse un apagón a nivel peninsular este lunes.
El corte de suministro eléctrico dejó sin servicio el metro de Madrid. Foto: EFE
Usuarias de metro se ven afectadas por el apagón
MADRID, 28/04/2025.- Fotografía del interior de la estación de Príncipe Pío este lunes, durante el apagón en Madrid. Red Eléctrica calcula que la recuperación total del sistema eléctrico español puede tardar entre 6 y 10 horas tras el apagón que se ha producido alrededor de las 12:30 horas y que ha afectado a la España peninsular y Portugal.EFE/ Rodrigo Jiménez

Overview

  • A sudden grid oscillation disconnected the Iberian Peninsula from the European power network, causing widespread outages across Spain, Portugal, and southern France.
  • Red Eléctrica Española (REE) is systematically restoring power, prioritizing re-energization from northern and southern nodes of the peninsula.
  • Governments in Spain, Portugal, and France have activated crisis committees, while intelligence agencies investigate potential cyberattack links.
  • Critical infrastructure, including hospitals and nuclear plants, continues operating on backup systems, though train services remain halted nationwide.
  • This incident marks one of the largest blackouts in recent European history, raising concerns about the resilience of transnational energy systems.