Power outage hits millions across Spain, Portugal, and France

Although exact figures remain unconfirmed, the widespread blackout is estimated to have disrupted essential services for tens of millions of people across Spain, Portugal, France, and other affected European regions

A large-scale electricity outage swept across parts of southwestern Europe on Monday (April 28), disrupting daily life for millions of residents in Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and areas of southern France. The power failure, which began around 12:30 p.m. local time, brought transportation systems to a standstill, cut phone networks, and left critical infrastructure without power.

In Spain, the national electricity operator Red Eléctrica reported widespread blackouts affecting both the northern and southern regions. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Red Eléctrica’s control center to monitor the situation firsthand.

Portugal also faced significant outages, with Lisbon and surrounding areas hit hard. Power failures extended to both northern and southern parts of the country. E-Redes, the Portuguese electricity distributor, attributed the issue to a broader malfunction in the European power grid and said it had implemented regional power cuts to protect network stability.

Blackout brings services to standstill

The blackout caused chaos in public transportation and aviation. Madrid’s Barajas International Airport experienced power loss, affecting operations, while flights and metro services in multiple cities were delayed or suspended. In both Spain and Portugal, metro passengers were left stranded as trains halted mid-route, including in tunnels. Telecommunication systems also took a hit, with voice networks down in many areas, although messaging services remained partly functional.

French energy authorities confirmed that southwestern France experienced a brief interruption in power supply, though service was quickly restored. The European Union is reportedly in contact with both Spain and Portugal to gather more details and support the investigation into the cause.

The Spanish government stated that identifying the source of the outage remains a priority. The Portuguese cabinet convened an emergency meeting at the prime minister’s residence to assess the impact and coordinate a national response.

Reports from Spanish broadcaster RTVE highlighted that the blackout affected parliament buildings, metro stations, and media houses, including RTVE's own newsroom. In cities like Barcelona, residents turned to WhatsApp groups to share updates and seek information.

While officials have not confirmed the total number of people impacted, the blackout is estimated to have disrupted services for tens of millions across the affected countries.