Massive power outage affects large parts of Spain and Portugal; electricity restored in majority of regions.
Spain and Portugal Plunged into Darkness in 2025: Still No Clue What Really Caused the Massive Blackout
In the year 2025, over half of Spain and Portugal was thrown into darkness, leaving thousands in the lurch. On April 28-29, millions witnessed a significant loss of electric power, phone service, and internet connectivity.
By early Tuesday morning, electricity had returned to about 90% of mainland Spain, as reported by the REE power operator. Madrid and Portugal's capital city sprung back to life, but the incident left barely a corner of the Iberian Peninsula – sharing a population of nearly 60 million – untouched. Yet, the cause behind this catastrophic blackout still remains a mystery.
Rumors swirled like wildfire on messaging networks, speculating a potential cyber attack, though official sources have yet to confirm these claims. Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro stated, "the source of the outage was probably in Spain," while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez cautioned, "all the potential causes are being analyzed." The public was urged to avoid speculative rumors due to the risk of misinformation.
Though investigations are ongoing as of April 29, 2025, it's known that the incident led to stranded train passengers, failed traffic lights, and widespread telecommunications outages[1][2][4]. Initial assumptions pointed towards technical failures, including a possible interconnector issue between France and Spain[3], though further verification is needed. The Portuguese cybersecurity center, however, dismissed cyberattacks as a possibility[2].
In essence, the Iberian Peninsula was left vulnerable and in the dark during these tumultuous times. Whether it was technical complications or something more sinister, the true cause remains unclear as authorities continue their investigation.
- AFP News Agency
- NBC News
- Le Monde
- BBC News
- In the midst of the ongoing investigation, the Spanish and Portuguese finance industry has warned of potential economic losses in the billions, with some analysts predicting a ripple effect across the European economy.
- Despite the dismissal of cyberattacks as a cause, the blackout incident in Spain and Portugal has sparked a debate within the energy industry regarding the vulnerability of national power grids and the need for enhanced security measures.
- As millions grapple with the aftermath of the blackout, the Iberian industry is analyzing potential preventive measures, with a focus on enhancing infrastructure resilience and emergency response.
