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Europe faces rare grid crisis as Iberian blackout exposes vulnerabilities. (Photo: iStock)
Spain and Portugal experienced an unprecedented and widespread power outage, paralyzing daily life and transport systems. It has been described as one of the most severe blackouts in the past decade. Both governments promptly declared a national state of emergency.
While the exact cause remains unclear, the majority of explanations point to grid instability. The process of restarting the grid is complex, and full power restoration could take up to a week.
Massive power outage in Spain and Portugal
The blackout affected nearly the entire Iberian Peninsula, including major cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and Lisbon, with spillover impacts reaching southwestern France. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the country lost 15 GW of power—around 60% of national demand—within five seconds.
