Massive power outage hits Spain, Portugal
Spain, Portugal and parts of southwestern France have been hit by a widespread power blackout that paralysed public transport, caused large traffic jams, delayed flights, and left residents unable to access cash from ATMs, as utility operators and the authorities scrambled to restore the electric grid. Investigations into the causes of the outage on Monday […]
Spain, Portugal and parts of southwestern France have been hit by a widespread power blackout that paralysed public transport, caused large traffic jams, delayed flights, and left residents unable to access cash from ATMs, as utility operators and the authorities scrambled to restore the electric grid.
Investigations into the causes of the outage on Monday were ongoing, but Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said there was “no indication” of a cyberattack. The Portuguese National Cybersecurity Centre also said there was no sign the disruption was due to a cyberattack.
Spain’s Interior Ministry declared a state of emergency Monday evening, adding the emergency status would be applied in the regions that request it. So far, Madrid, Andalusia and Extremadura have asked for the central government to take over public order and other critical functions.
Earlier, in a televised address, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said there was no conclusive information on the cause of the blackout. He added that interconnections with neighbouring France and Morocco had partially restored supply, while “combined cycles and hydroelectric plants throughout the country have also been reactivated, which should allow us to recover the supply across Spain soon.”