Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has pledged to investigate and unearth the cause of the widespread blackout that affected the entire Iberian Peninsula on Monday, stating that “no hypothesis is being ruled out.”
Some isolated disruptions persisted the following day after the majority of power was restored, and the cause of the massive blackout that had affected Spain and Portugal on Monday remained unexplained.
Throughout the Iberian Peninsula, flights were grounded, train services were paralyzed, mobile communications were disrupted, and ATMs were forced to close down. This was one of the largest power outages in Europe.
Red Eléctrica, the electricity operator in Spain, reported that the electrical system was functioning properly as of 11 a.m. CET on Tuesday. REN, the Portuguese grid operator, have verified that all 6.4 million customers have been restored to power.
The meteorological agency of Spain, AEMET, reported that it had not observed any “unusual meteorological or atmospheric phenomena” and that no abrupt temperature changes had been observed at its weather stations.
There was no evidence to suggest that the disruption was caused by a cyberattack, according to Portugal’s National Cybersecurity Centre. In addition, Teresa Ribera, an executive vice president of the European Commission, excluded the possibility of sabotage.
An investigation into the potential for fatalities caused by blackouts
In the interim, authorities are investigating five fatalities, three of which are members of the same family, that may be associated with the ongoing power disruption, according to domestic media.
The three family members in Galicia succumbed as a result of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator, a woman in Valencia died as a result of complications with an oxygen supply device, and another individual perished in Madrid after a candle ignited a fire.
Travel and tennis recommence
A large number of travelers gathered at Spain’s main train stations on Tuesday to either board trains or reschedule their journeys.
Many individuals had spent the night at Madrid’s Atocha station, where they were draped in blankets provided by the Red Cross, while hundreds awaited updates at screens.
The subway services in Madrid were entirely restored as of 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday. In Barcelona, the system was operating routinely, with the exception of certain commuter trains that were suspended in the afternoon due to “electrical instability,” as reported by Rodalies Catalunya on X.
A number of regions in Spain continued to operate commuter and mid-distance services at reduced capacity or suspended.
Emergency responders in Spain reported that approximately 35,000 passengers were rescued on Monday after becoming stranded in subterranean stations and along railways.
Transit systems were substantially disrupted by the blackout, necessitating the use of sports centers, train stations, and airports as temporary shelters.
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