Disruption of Rail Services Across Entire Spain

Power Outage Strikes Spain and Portugal: A Chaotic Scenario

Amidst a major power outage that hit both Spain and Portugal on 28 April 2025, the Spanish power grid operator, Red Electrica Espanhola (REE), is scrambling to resolve the issue. In their statement on the social media platform X, REE mentioned collaborating with sector companies to restore the electricity supply, attributing the system failure to the Iberian peninsula and blaming it on unspecified issues with the European electric grid[1].

Streets in both Madrid and Barcelona have become bustling with residents, most holding mobile phones in search of a signal as many traffic lights are now dormant, causing traffic jams and unsafe travel conditions. The Spanish Directorate-General of Traffic has urged drivers to stay off the roads.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is en route to the control center of the Spanish Electricity Network for an on-ground assessment. The outage, fortunately, has not affected the Canary Islands or the Balearic Islands.

Airport manager Aena announced on social media that several incidents have occurred at airports due to the power outage, with emergency generators activated. Notably, Madrid’s Barajas and Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado airports have suspended operations, resulting in flight cancelations across Europe, including Brussels flights, and leaving hundreds stranded[1]. Trains in Valencia have been interrupted along routes and through stations, prompting the need for firefighters to rescue people trapped in elevators.

Sadly, strains on public services can be seen as well, with hospital La Paz in Madrid and Portugal facilities cancelling surgeries. Backup generators offer some relief, providing power for critical areas for 8-12 hours, but failures in both water and internet services persist[1].

The power outage underscores the vulnerabilities lurking in critical infrastructure, as the instability of the grid triggers cascading failures across essential services.

Also Read: Breaking News: Rush to gas stations and supermarkets; Government holds emergency meeting

[1] Enrichment Data: European Electric Grid Issues Trigger Major Power Outage in Spain and Portugal, 28 April 2025 - Reported occurrences include airports suspensions resulting in flight cancellations across Europe, trapped passengers in mid-tunnel trains, healthcare disruptions involving major hospitals like Madrid’s La Paz and Portugal facilities, and the failure of mobile networks in parts of both countries, thereby hampering emergency coordination.

The Spanish power grid operator, Red Electrica Espanhola (REE), mentioned collaborating with sector companies to restore the electricity supply, attributing the system failure to issues with the European electric grid.
The power outage in Spain and Portugal has caused a general-news frenzy, with many major news networks reporting incidents such as flight cancelations across Europe due to airport suspensions.
Amidst the power outage, politics and the handling of the crisis are under scrutiny, as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visits the control center of the Spanish Electricity Network.
In the wake of the power outage, Iberian residents are facing various inconveniences, such as traffic jams due to dormant traffic lights in cities like Madrid and Barcelona, and strains on public services like hospitals La Paz in Madrid and facilities in Portugal, which have had to cancel surgeries due to backup generator failures.