UPD: "Due to extreme temperatures in central Spain, there were abnormal fluctuations on the ultra-high voltage lines (400 kV). These fluctuations caused synchronization failures between electrical systems, leading to a chain reaction of disruptions in the unified European power grid," said the Portuguese energy company REN, adding that it could take a week to fully normalize the power grid operations in Portugal.
On Monday, Spain and Portugal experienced massive power outages that paralyzed public transport, halted trains, airports, and other critical infrastructure, causing chaos in cities across the country. Parts of Portugal and France were also affected by the outage, which, according to energy experts, occurred due to a failure in the European grid.
It is unknown what caused the outage, but its consequences were felt by millions of people on the Iberian Peninsula. Spanish hospitals were forced to operate on generators. Portuguese banks and schools were closed. Matches of the tennis tournament Madrid Open were suspended, reported ATP Tour. In Madrid, hundreds of people stood on the streets near office buildings, and around some important buildings, there was increased police presence regulating traffic and patrolling central streets with lights.
People were evacuated from the Torre Emperador skyscraper in the Spanish capital via stairs. Concerned people desperately tried to contact schools where their children study, as cell phone signals were intermittent.
Utility operators were trying to restore the power grid, but the Spanish electricity transmission operator Red Eléctrica stated that the outage could last from 6 to 10 hours. Officials said that the possibility of a cyberattack causing the outage could not be ruled out, writes Reuters.
According to sources familiar with the situation, the Spanish and Portuguese governments met to discuss the disruptions, which also briefly affected part of France, and a crisis committee was established in Spain. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the control center of the electricity transmission operator. The company Red Electrica stated that it is working with regional energy companies to restore power supply. The Portuguese company REN said it activated plans for a phased restoration of power supply.
"The government is working to determine the origin and consequences of this incident and is directing all resources for its swift resolution," said the Spanish government.
The company AENA, which manages 46 airports in Spain, reported flight delays across the country. The Portuguese airport operator ANA reported that emergency generators have been activated at airports, allowing basic operations to continue at Porto and Faro airports.
Power outages of this scale are rare in Europe. In 2003, a malfunction on the power line between Italy and Switzerland led to a massive power outage lasting about 12 hours.
Photo: Reuters