CNN
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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.
