Huge power outage in Spain, Portugal and parts of France

A nationwide power outage hit Spain and Portugal on Monday, leaving millions without electricity. Reports indicate issues with the European electric grid. This is what we know. Spain and Portugal experienced a widespread power outage on Monday, leaving millions without electricity in a snap blackout.

In Portugal, official sources told domestic media that the outage, which hit around late morning local time, was nationwide, while similar reports emerged from Spain.

Madrid's Barajas International Airport and Lisbon's Humberto Delgado were closed after being left without power, and telecommunications have also been affected, with residents across the two countries saying they have no access to mobile networks.

Meanwhile, other airports have come to a standstill throughout the Iberian Peninsula, and flights from Brussels and other European cities to Spain and Portugal have been cancelled, leaving hundreds stranded, Euronews has learned.

Numerous passengers have also been left stranded in the metro systems of the Spanish and Portuguese capitals, with trains stuck in tunnels between stations, Portugal reports. The blackout has affected hospitals, too, including Madrid's La Paz and multiple medical facilities in Portugal, with some being forced to cancel surgeries.

A source at a hospital in Setúbal told that the facility has a backup generator capable of operating for 8-12 hours in the hospital's critical departments. However, there is currently no water supply. The hospital has still not received any information on when the power supply will be back or how to proceed, and it has also lost its internet access. Citizens have been asked not to dial 112 unless in a genuine emergency to avoid overloading the lines.

The Spanish government has convened an emergency session at Moncloa and is monitoring the situation as it develops, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has visited the control centre of Red Electrica, the company that operates Spain's electric grid, according to our colleagues at Euronews Spain.

The European Commission issued a statement on Monday afternoon, saying it was "in contact with the national authorities of Spain and Portugal as well as (European electricity transmission system operators' network) ENTSO-E to understand the underlying cause and the impact of the situation."

"As per EU legislation in place ... there are protocols in place to restore the functioning of the system," the statement read. "Following the massive blackout, we stand ready to support Spain and Portugal in putting their systems back on track," European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen said in a post on X.

"Power is already back in some regions. Network operators and ENTSO-E (are) doing everything possible on the ground. Solidarity and unity are key for our Energy Union.”

Such large-scale power outages are rare in Europe. In 2003, a problem with a hydroelectric power line between Italy and Switzerland caused a 12-hour blackout across Italy.