European power grid failure causes chaos across Spain, Portugal, parts of France
View shows a dark metro station in Madrid during a widespread power outage that struck Spain and Portugal around midday on Monday, with the cause still unknow in Madrid, Spain on April 28, 2025. (AA Photo)
A widespread power outage struck the Iberian Peninsula on Monday, leaving millions without electricity across Spain and Portugal, with effects reaching into neighboring countries.
The blackout paralyzed transportation systems, disrupted telecommunications, and forced evacuations at key infrastructure points throughout the affected regions.
Railways ground to a halt
In Spain, the national railway company RENFE announced all train services were suspended as of 12:30 p.m. local time. “No trains are moving and no new departures can be made,” company officials stated, adding they were working to restore normal operations.
Spanish prime minister and the energy minister traveled to the headquarters of Red Electrica, the country’s national electricity operator, to monitor developments, according to Spanish radio Cadena SER.
Air traffic faces significant disruptions
The outage severely impacted air travel, with Madrid’s Barajas international airport losing power. Multiple airports across the region have come to a standstill, leaving numerous travelers stranded.
Air traffic in both Spain and Portugal continues to be affected by the electrical outages, though widespread cancellations have not yet been reported. Aviation authorities are closely monitoring the evolving situation.
Internet and communications networks down
Network data shows a national-scale internet disruption across Spain, with neighboring countries including Portugal also experiencing significant impacts. The widespread communications outage is directly attributed to the power failure, leaving millions without internet access.
⚠️ Confirmed: Network data show a national scale internet disruption in Spain, with nearby countries including Portugal also impacted; the incident is attributed to a widespread power outage 📉🔌 #apagon pic.twitter.com/TOSq6Hl6l7
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) April 28, 2025
Telephone lines were down across affected countries, further complicating emergency response efforts and leaving many unable to contact loved ones.
Urban transportation in crisis
Urban transportation systems were also affected. In Madrid and Lisbon, passengers were trapped in metro trains stuck in tunnels between stations, according to Euronews Portugal. Thousands of passengers were evacuated from Barcelona’s metro system, and Valencia’s metro and tram services reported disruptions.
“The extent and duration of the outage are unknown,” Metrovalencia stated on social media.
Regional impact expanding
The power failure extended beyond the Iberian Peninsula, with citizens of Andorra and parts of France bordering Spain reporting blackouts. Additional outages have been reported as far as Belgium, according to the latest information.
The cause of the massive outage remains unclear. Domestic media reports suggest issues with the European electric grid affected national grids in the Iberian Peninsula. A fire on Alaric mountain in southwest France, which damaged a high-voltage power line between Perpignan and eastern Narbonne, has been identified as a possible cause.
Data from the Spanish transmission operator showed that more than 10 gigawatts of demand was cut off when the blackout hit, potentially making it one of the largest power outages in recent European history.
The Spanish electricity transmission operator has activated emergency plans to restore the power supply in cooperation with energy sector businesses, while continuing to investigate the root cause of the incident.
