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Power Restored to Most of Spain and Portugal After Massive Blackout

An unprecedented outage disrupted electricity, transport, and services across the Iberian Peninsula, with investigations ongoing into rare grid anomalies as the potential cause.

Spectators roam inside the Madrid Open tennis tournament venue during a general blackout in Madrid, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 28, 2025 General view of an empty court as the matches get suspended due to a power outage REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura
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Overview

  • The blackout began midday on April 28, cutting power to tens of millions in Spain, Portugal, and parts of France, halting trains, planes, and critical services.
  • By early Tuesday, more than 92% of Spain's electricity demand had been restored, with full recovery expected by the end of the day.
  • Grid operators are investigating anomalous high-voltage oscillations, potentially linked to rare atmospheric phenomena, while ruling out cyberattacks as a cause.
  • Hospitals, transport systems, and key services operated on backup generators, while disruptions to ATMs, internet, and fuel pumps caused widespread challenges.
  • Emergency meetings were held by Spanish and Portuguese governments, with leaders emphasizing the need for resilience in interconnected power grids.