Mystery Blackout SHUTS DOWN Two Nations!
Millions across Spain and Portugal were plunged into darkness during a massive power outage that crippled transportation, communications, and essential services while officials scramble to determine what caused the widespread blackout.
At a Glance
Massive power outage disrupted subway services, railways, and phone networks
Power largely restored after emergency electricity sourced from Morocco and France
Spanish Prime Minister blamed a “strong oscillation” in the European grid
Portuguese grid operator denied blaming “rare atmospheric phenomena”
Officials ruled out cyberattacks as the cause
Widespread Disruption Across the Iberian Peninsula
The massive power failure dubbed “el cero” by Spain’s electric network authority began at 11:33 AM Western European Summer Time, quickly spreading across Spain and Portugal. The blackout disrupted critical infrastructure including subway systems, railway services, cellular networks, traffic signals, and ATMs.
Emergency services responded to numerous calls from people trapped in elevators, while police were deployed to manage traffic at intersections where signals had failed. Hospitals and other essential services immediately switched to backup power generators to maintain operations during the crisis.
Watch CBS News’ report on the crisis at Spain, Portugal suffer major blackout as officials investigate cause.
By early Tuesday, power had been largely restored across the affected regions, with Spain reporting 99% of capacity back online and lights returning to Lisbon, Portugal. The restoration process was carefully managed to prevent grid overload, requiring a gradual approach rather than an immediate full-scale reconnection.
During the outage, emergency electricity was sourced from neighboring Morocco and France, while Spanish authorities increased production from hydroelectric and thermal plants to compensate for the deficit.
Conflicting Reports on the Cause
The cause of the massive outage remains under investigation, with various theories being proposed by officials and experts. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez attributed the blackout to a “strong oscillation” in the European electrical grid, describing the event as a technical failure according to CBS News. Meanwhile, Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro suggested the problem originated in Spain, though he offered few details about the specific nature of the failure.
Initial reports circulating on social media claimed that REN, the Portuguese grid operator, had attributed the outage to “a fault in the Spanish electricity grid linked to a rare atmospheric phenomenon” involving extreme temperature variations. However, REN spokesperson Bruno Silva firmly denied issuing any such statement, as reported by Insider Paper, saying, “REN confirms we did not put out this statement.” Spain’s national weather office (AEMET) reported no unusual meteorological events that day.
Technical Explanations and Security Concerns
Energy expert Georg Zachmann from Bruegel, a European think tank, suggested the blackout may have been caused by “cascading disconnections of power plants” triggered when frequency levels dropped below the critical 50Hz threshold, according to The Guardian. This domino effect cascaded through the interconnected European grid systems. Additional experts, like Taco Engelaar, pointed out that temperature variations can reduce electricity transport capacity, leading to dangerous mismatches between supply and demand.
Watch The Guardian’s coverage at Spain and Portugal blackout: what we know so far.
The magnitude of the disruption prompted swift security assessments. Spain’s National Security Council held an emergency session to evaluate risks, and Portugal launched its own national investigation. European Council President António Costa assured that there was no evidence of cyberattacks. Spain’s electrical grid operator REE also ruled out cybersecurity incidents, stating that the event appeared to be purely technical in nature, though the final cause remains under formal review.