The complete restoration of electricity supply in Spain and Portugal could take between six and ten hours, following the massive blackout that left millions of citizens without power shortly after noon on Monday.
The incident has caused a collapse in transportation systems, affected basic services, and disrupted the daily life of businesses and individuals throughout the peninsula.
According to a report by the agency EFE, Red Eléctrica de España, the manager of the national electrical system, attributed the outage to a strong fluctuation in power flow in the networks, which caused Spain to disconnect from the rest of the European electrical system.
Although contingency plans have been activated, authorities warned that complete restoration could take up to ten hours, depending on the evolution of the technical conditions.
During a media appearance, Eduardo Prieto, director of Network Electric Operation Services, described the situation as "absolutely exceptional" and stated that the priority is to stabilize the grid to proceed with a gradual recovery.
When asked about the possibility of a cyberattack, Prieto refrained from speculation, emphasizing that the source of the problem is still under investigation.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, immediately traveled to the Electric Network Control Center accompanied by the Third Vice President and Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen.
Alongside them, other senior officials from the Executive also attended to closely monitor the unfolding events.
The interruption of electrical service has had a significant impact on urban mobility and communications.
The National Network of Spanish Railways confirmed the complete halt of all its trains in Spain, including the commuter network, which has led to crowding and issues for travelers.
Additionally, disruptions have been reported in the subway systems in several cities, and numerous traffic lights have ceased to function, forcing local police to manually direct traffic.
Chaos has also spread to the airports. Although contingency systems have allowed the Spanish Airports and Air Navigation company to keep the major airports operational, such as Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat, delays and some difficulties in operations have been reported due to issues with passenger and crew access to the terminals.
According to reports from Flight Radar, during the blackout, Barajas Airport remained inactive for departures and arrivals for at least half an hour.
The situation has forced the evacuation of public and private buildings, including business headquarters and museums like the Prado, which had to evacuate hundreds of visitors.
In addition, several supermarkets began to report restrictions on payment methods, accepting only cash due to the failure of communication networks.
In Portugal, the company Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN) confirmed a "massive outage" in the electrical system.
The Portuguese government met urgently to assess the damages and coordinate recovery efforts.
Meanwhile, in France, the electricity manager RTE (Réseau de Transport d'Électricité) reported partial interruptions that were resolved quickly.
As recovery progresses in areas of the northern and southern peninsula, authorities are keeping the alert active.
Red Eléctrica continues to work on gradually restoring power across the peninsula, although it is emphasized that achieving complete normalcy may take several more hours.
The blackout has highlighted the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to technical incidents or potential cyber threats.
Security experts warn that phenomena like today's incident highlight the urgent need to strengthen the resilience of electrical networks against potential sabotage or attacks.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Power Outage in Spain and Portugal
How long will the blackout last in Spain and Portugal?
The full restoration of the electrical supply is expected to take between six to ten hours. The duration depends on the development of technical conditions and the process of stabilizing the network.
What was the cause of the massive blackout in the Iberian Peninsula?
The power outage was attributed to a strong fluctuation in the power flow in the electrical grids, which caused Spain to be disconnected from the rest of the European electrical system. The origin of the problem is still under investigation.
How has the blackout affected transportation systems in Spain?
The blackout has caused a collapse in the transportation systems, halting all trains, including the commuter network, and affecting the operation of metro services and traffic lights in several cities.
Has the possibility of a cyberattack been considered as the cause of the blackout?
Although authorities do not rule out the hypothesis of a cyberattack, the director of Network Electric Operation Services refrained from speculating on the matter, emphasizing that the source of the problem is still under investigation.
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