live Spain and Portugal face extended blackout, power restoration underway

A major blackout across Spain and Portugal could last 6 to 10 hours, according to Red Electrica. While power is being restored in some areas, the cause of the outage remains unclear, with authorities considering the possibility of a cyberattack.

Spain’s national energy provider, Red Electrica, announced that the ongoing blackout across Spain and Portugal could last between 6 to 10 hours. Eduardo Prieto, director of services for Red Electrica, described the outage as “exceptional and totally extraordinary.” Power is being gradually restored in the north and south of the Iberian Peninsula, although many regions continue to experience disruptions.

The blackout, which began around midday on Monday, also affected parts of France and Andorra. Transport services in several areas are still interrupted, and authorities are working to identify the cause of the outage. Spain’s National Institute for Cybersecurity is investigating whether a cyberattack might be to blame.

In response to the crisis, Spain's government convened an emergency meeting with Red Electrica, attended by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and key ministers. The Spanish government has activated an emergency plan to coordinate efforts in handling the situation.

Tags

power outage Spain blackout Portugal blackout Red Electrica electricity outage