Europe Power Outage Today: Large parts of Spain and Portugal experienced a widespread power outage on Monday, with significant disruptions across multiple sectors. The power failure affected major cities, transportation networks, airports, and public services. Spain’s national grid operator, Red Eléctrica, has confirmed that it is working closely with energy companies to restore power to affected regions.

The outage, which started early in the day, primarily affected Spain, with cities like Madrid, Seville, Malaga, and Barcelona reporting widespread blackouts. Portugal wasn’t spared either, with Lisbon, the Algarve region, and several southern areas experiencing power loss. Additionally, parts of southern France also saw blackouts due to the disruption.

Airports And Flight Cancellations

Madrid's Barajas Airport, one of the busiest in Spain, was among the hardest-hit locations. Spanish airport operator Aena confirmed that numerous flight cancellations and delays occurred as a result of the outage. The airport's contingency generators were activated to keep essential services running, but passengers were advised to check with their airlines for updated information.

Reports indicated that the power outage also affected other transport services, including metro systems in Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia. At Madrid’s Barajas, there were disruptions to airport access, baggage handling, and ground transportation services, leading to further confusion and delays.

Disruptions In Transport And Communication

The widespread loss of power had serious consequences for public transport systems. Spain’s national railway operator Renfe announced that it had to halt train services due to the blackout, leading to significant travel delays. Meanwhile, mobile networks across Spain and Portugal faced disruptions, making communication difficult for many people in affected areas.

In Madrid, one commuter, Maddie Sephton, found herself stuck on a train for 20 minutes before staff manually opened the doors. Sephton was on her way to the airport but faced further challenges as she had to walk up 15 flights of stairs to exit the station with her luggage.

Madrid Open Tennis Tournament Affected

The power outage also impacted live sporting events. The Madrid Open tennis tournament was forced to halt play due to the lack of electricity, with players like Britain’s Jacob Fearnley being interrupted in the middle of a critical match against Grigor Dimitrov. The blackout disrupted scoreboards and camera systems, halting the tournament temporarily.

Air Traffic and Health Services

Air traffic monitoring service, Flightradar, reported that the power outage had a noticeable effect on air traffic in both Spain and Portugal. While widespread cancellations had not yet been confirmed, disruptions were ongoing. Spanish health authorities reassured the public that hospitals were equipped with backup systems, ensuring patient care would not be affected during the blackout.

Recovery Efforts Underway

Red Eléctrica, in collaboration with E-Redes, the Spanish electricity grid monitoring company, stated that they were working to restore the power in phases. While the situation is still developing, efforts are being made to bring affected regions back online and minimise the disruptions as quickly as possible.