SPAIN BLACKOUT Panic: Power Outage Wreaks Havoc Across Iberian Peninsula
- A huge blackout hit Spain and Portugal on Monday, leaving millions in the dark. Subway riders had to be evacuated, and traffic lights stopped working. The Spanish government called a state of emergency as crews rushed to get the lights back on. Half of Spain has power now, but full recovery could take until Tuesday. The trouble started just after noon when electricity demand dropped sharply from 27,500 megawatts to about 15,000. Portugal’s grid operator blamed a rare weather event called “induced atmospheric vibration.” This knocked out high-voltage lines and caused problems across Europe’s shared power network. Officials in Portugal say this was not a cyberattack. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said experts are still looking for answers but mentioned a “strong oscillation” in Europe’s electric grid. Red Eléctrica says it may take up to ten hours before everything is back to normal in both countries. This blackout shows how fragile Europe’s energy system can be during extreme weather events.
