A widespread power outage across Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and parts of southern France on Sunday triggered major disruptions, halting trains, shutting down businesses, and disabling traffic systems.
The outage, which began around midday local time, stranded thousands of travelers. Passengers were trapped on halted trains, metro systems went dark, and electronic payments stopped working, forcing many to seek cash or basic supplies.
In Spain, commuters described chaotic scenes, with stalled metros, gridlocked roads, and closed businesses. Locals in rural areas offered food and water to stranded train passengers. Emergency services urged residents to stay where they were and limit travel.
Mobile networks and internet access were also temporarily disrupted, leaving many unable to communicate or access information.
Spain’s power operator Red Electrica began restoring power within a few hours, but some areas faced prolonged outages. By Monday evening, Spanish officials reported that roughly 50% of power had been restored, though full recovery could take several more days. Portugal’s grid operator REN warned that normalization might take up to a week.
Spain’s government declared a state of emergency, enabling regions to request additional resources. Airports relied on backup generators to maintain limited operations, but some flights were delayed or canceled.
The cause of the outage has not yet been officially confirmed. Authorities continue to assess the damage and coordinate recovery efforts across the Iberian Peninsula.
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