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Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Spain and Portugal hit by major power outage, halting trains and flights and wiping out traffic lights
A massive power outage has knocked out electricity across huge parts of Spain and Portugal, shutting off traffic lights and causing chaos at airports, train stations and on the roads. Portugal's grid operator Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN) said electrical supply was lost across the entire Iberian peninsula, and in parts of France, on Monday. It could be several hours until power is restored, Spain's grid operator said, meaning parts of the two countries could be plunged into darkness once the sun sets. The outage took out screens, lighting and power sockets throughout the region. Portugal's police force told people to avoid unnecessary journeys because traffic lights were failing. 'Reduce your speed and pay extra attention,' they said. 'Prioritise safe driving: your calmness saves lives.' In Madrid, traffic piled up on the roads after the lights went out. 'I was driving and suddenly there was no traffic lights… It was a bit of a jungle,' Luis Ibáñez Jiménez told CNN. 'I saw a massive bus coming, and I had to accelerate a lot to go past it.' The cause of the sudden blackout was unclear, but its impact was dramatic. Madrid's mayor José Luis Martinez Almeida asked people to minimize their movements and only call emergency services if it was truly urgent. He also called on people to stay clear of the roads for emergency workers. Later in the day, Madrid's emergency services provider urged the country's government to declare a national emergency. A race to restore power began in the moments after the collapse of the grid, but efforts could stretch into the night. 'The experience of other similar events that have taken place in other countries indicate to us that this process – the total reestablishment of the electrical supply – will take several hours, Eduardo Prieto, director of services for system operation at Red Eléctrica, told broadcaster La Sexta. 'We could be talking about six to 10 hours, if everything goes well, until we reestablish supply to every last customer,' he said. Around 60 million people live in Spain and Portugal, and Madrid and Lisbon are major hubs for transport, business and tourism. Portugal's National Institute for Medical Emergencies said it had 'activated its contingency plan,' running its telephone and IT systems through a back-up generator. Spain's health ministry said the same process happened in hospitals there. But flights at major airports in the region were suddenly delayed or cancelled, with travelers scrambling to adapt; online flight trackers reported that several airports saw their frequent departures suddenly halted after midday. Portugal's flag carrier TAP Air Portugal told people not to travel to the airport until further notice. Ellie Kenny, a holidaymaker inside Lisbon's Humberto Delgado airport, said hundreds of people were stood in the dark in queues, with no air conditioning or running water. Shops were only accepting cash, she told CNN. Spanish train operator Renfe said trains had stopped and departures were canceled. And in subway tunnels, passengers were plunged into darkness. Video posted on social media showed blackened subway cars stuck in standstill on platforms in Madrid, where the metro was suspended and entrances to stations were taped off. Some parts of southern France, near the Spanish border, felt a more sporadic impact. Emilie Grandidie, a spokeswoman for France's electricity transmission operator RTE, told CNN there was 'a small power cut' in the French Basque Country; 'It lasted only a couple of minutes and was restored very quickly,' she said. This is a developing story and will be updated. CNN's Vasco Cotovio, Jack Guy, Kara Fox and Saskya Vandoorne contributed reporting
CNN
28-04-2025
- Climate
- CNN
Live updates: Power outages cause blackouts in Spain, Portugal
Update: Date: Title: Madrid's trains and international airport among facilities hit by power outages Content: Severe power outages have affected the Spanish capital, Madrid, as well as other major cities across the country, including Barcelona, Seville and Valencia. Speaking on state television, Madrid's mayor José Luis Martinez Almeida asked people to minimize their movements and only call emergency services in the case of extreme emergencies. He also urged people to stay clear of the roads for emergency workers. Madrid's Metro said in a statement that all service had been interrupted due to a 'lack of electric supply.' Local media reported that parts of the metro had been evacuated. Meanwhile, Madrid's Barajas Airport, the main international airport serving the capital, is reportedly dealing with a blackout, according to local media, with flight tracker services showing flight cancellations and delays. 'Power has not yet been restored to Barajas Airport,' according to El Mundo, Spain's second-largest daily newspaper. Update: Date: Title: Major tennis tournament in Madrid suspended due to power outage Content: Play has been suspended at the 2025 Mutua Madrid Tennis tournament after the Spanish capital was hit by a major power outage on Monday. 'We are working to restore normality as soon as possible,' the tournament wrote in a post on social media. Grigor Dmitrov and opponent Jacob Fearnley were forced off the court mid-game after overhead cameras lost power and the scoreboard went dark, Reuters reported Monday. Among other players expected to take the court at the tournament today is women's world number one player Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus. Update: Date: Title: All of Iberian peninsula experiencing power outage, Portuguese national electricity grid says Content: A power outage hit the entire Iberian peninsula at around 11.33 a.m. local time (6:33 a.m. ET) Monday, Portuguese national electricity grid Rede Electrica Nacional (REN) confirmed. 'All plans to restore the energy supply in stages are being activated, in coordination with European energy producers and operators,' the grid said, adding that the 'possible causes of this incident are being assessed.' The Iberian peninsula is in southwestern Europe, and REN says some parts of France are also affected by the outage. CNN is reaching out to authorities in France for more information. Update: Date: Title: "Suddenly there was no traffic lights," driver in Madrid tells CNN Content: In Madrid, traffic piled up on the roads after the lights went out due to a massive power outage that affected parts of Spain and Portugal. 'I was driving and suddenly there was no traffic lights … It was a bit of a jungle,' Luis Ibáñez Jiménez told CNN from Madrid, Spain. 'I saw a massive bus coming, and I had to accelerate a lot to go past it.' Update: Date: Title: Hundreds of people wait in the dark inside Lisbon airport Content: Ellie Kenny, a holidaymaker inside Lisbon airport, in Portugal, says hundreds of people are stood in the dark in queues after power went out inside the Humberto Delgado airport. There's no running water from sinks in bathrooms or water bottle stations inside the airport, the air conditioning has gone out and shops inside are only accepting cash, she told CNN. Update: Date: Title: Portuguese police ask for vigilance amid power outage Content: Portugal's police force warned that traffic lights and street lighting are at risk of failing as power is cut. 'Reduce your speed and pay extra attention,' they said, instructing people to avoid unnecessary journeys. 'Prioritise safe driving: your calmness saves lives,' their statement added. Update: Date: Title: Electricity is out across parts of Spain and Portugal, stopping flights and trains Content: A massive power outage has knocked out electricity across parts of Spain and Portugal, shutting off traffic lights and causing chaos at airports, train stations and on the roads. Spanish power grid operator Red Electrica said it was working with energy companies to restore power. 'The causes are being analyzed and all resources are being dedicated to solving it,' it said. 'We will continue to inform you.'
