Power supplies were today being restored to millions of people across Spain and Portugal after a near total outage on the Iberian Peninsula yesterday paralysed transport systems, mobile networks, airports and city centres.
The blackout struck shortly after midday local time, with energy operators reporting a sudden and severe drop in electricity usage. Spain’s national grid operator, Red Eléctrica, said a “very strong oscillation” disconnected Spain’s electricity grid from the rest of continental Europe, causing a collapse that rippled across both countries.
Rail services came to a halt, traffic lights across major cities such as Madrid and Lisbon went dark and mobile phone coverage was severely interrupted. In Madrid, metro stations were evacuated and many businesses were forced to shut their doors.
Spain’s power back 50% yesterday night
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned the country would face “critical hours” before full electricity supply could be restored. He urged citizens to minimise travel, restrict mobile phone use, and rely on official updates rather than social media speculation. By Monday evening, Spain’s power system was reportedly operating at around half its normal capacity.
Airports have been among the worst affected, with Madrid Airport delaying nearly 400 flights and Lisbon Airport cancelling almost 200. Although backup generators kept basic operations running, the sheer volume of delayed flights caused significant knock-on effects for passengers across Europe.
Advice for BHX passengers
Despite the extensive disruption in the Iberian Peninsula, Birmingham Airport confirmed it has experienced no issues as a result of the outage. A message on the airport website told passengers travelling to or from Spain and Portugal to check directly with their airlines for any changes to their flights.
The incident is likely to reignite concerns about the resilience of Europe’s energy systems, particularly as countries push towards greater reliance on renewable sources. Spain, which sources over 40% of its electricity from wind and solar power, has historically struggled with limited energy connections to the rest of Europe.
Full restoration could take weeks
Energy experts warned that full restoration of Spain’s power grid could take days or even weeks, depending on the damage caused by the initial failure.
Meanwhile, authorities in both Spain and Portugal continue to investigate the exact cause of the outage, while neighbouring France reported only minor, brief disruptions.
Passengers from the West Midlands planning trips to Spain or Portugal this week are being urged to check travel advice regularly and expect some delays as airports overseas work to return to normal operations.
