Yesterday, April 28, 2025, a massive and unprecedented power outage disrupted life across Spain and Portugal, affecting millions and stranding thousands.
The blackout, which began around 12:33 p.m., caused Spain to lose 15 gigawatts of electricity — 60% of its national demand, in just five seconds, according to officials.
The event halted train services, disrupted airports, knocked out mobile and internet connections, and shut down public transportation systems, including subways and ATMs.
Approximately 35,000 train passengers were affected, and evacuations continued late into the night.
Emergency services operated using backup generators, while governments in both countries called emergency meetings to manage the situation.
Power began to return gradually, with more than 92% restored in Spain by early Tuesday.
Authorities reported no evidence of a cyberattack, though investigations into the exact cause are still ongoing.
Neighboring countries, including Morocco and France, contributed emergency power, while Spain ramped up production from its hydroelectric and thermal plants.
The event is considered one of the most severe blackouts in recent European history, following another major outage in the United Kingdom in March.
Emergency measures, including generator distribution by the military, were implemented to stabilize essential services and restore normalcy by the end of the following day.