Widespread Disruptions Across the Iberian Peninsula
On Monday, April 28, 2025, a massive blackout plunged Spain, Portugal, and parts of southern France into darkness, affecting millions of residents. Grid operators reported that the outage began at 11:33 AM, though the exact cause remains unclear.
Spain’s railway operator Adif announced a nationwide halt to train services, while airports operator Aena reported several incidents at airports across the country. Mobile phone networks collapsed, forcing residents in Madrid and Barcelona to step outside in search of signals. With internet services down, many turned to traditional radio broadcasts to stay informed.
Traffic lights ceased to function, creating hazardous driving conditions, and Spain’s national road authority DGT urged motorists to avoid traveling. Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez headed to the headquarters of Red Eléctrica, the national electricity operator, for an emergency briefing. Efforts to restore power were underway, with partial recovery reported in some northern and southern regions.
Public Services, Transportation Severely Impacted
The blackout caused widespread chaos in public services and infrastructure. In Madrid, metro trains were immobilized, and police were manually directing traffic at major intersections. Spanish media outlet El País shared images of darkened newsrooms where journalists were working under torchlight.
According to Portugal’s REN operator, the blackout affected the entire Iberian Peninsula and parts of southern France. Red Eléctrica confirmed that restoration efforts were ongoing, but full resolution would take time. Residents in all three countries faced significant disruptions, underscoring the scale of the grid failure.
Sporting Events Halted by Power Failure
The power outage also disrupted major sporting events. Play at the Madrid Open tennis tournament was suspended after electricity went down at key venues. On Centre Court, the match between Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov and Britain’s Jacob Fearnley was paused, with Dimitrov leading 6-4, 5-4 at the time.
The outage disabled electronic line-calling systems and left a spider camera suspended above the court at Manolo Santana Stadium, according to an ATP statement. Tournament organizers confirmed they were working to restore power “as quickly as possible,” although no specific timeline was provided.
