Large parts of Spain and Portugal hit by major power outages

Large parts of Spain and Portugal – including their capitals – have been hit by major power outages, causing chaos at airports and train stations and shutting off traffic lights.

Spanish power grid operator Red Electrica said the Iberian peninsula was affected and it was working with energy companies to restore power.

“The causes are being analysed and all resources are being dedicated to solving it,” it said. “We will continue to inform you.”

Spanish train operator Renfe said there was a power outage at a national level, causing trains to stop and departures to be cancelled.

People queued to get onto crowded buses in Lisbon, Portugal, after the power outage stopped the subway running. / Credit: AP

Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE said the outage hit several cities at around 12:30pm local time, leaving its newsroom, Spain’s parliament in Madrid and metro stations across the country in the dark.

People in neighbourhood WhatsApp chats in Barcelona and the outskirts of cities and towns also reported the outage.

Play at the Madrid Open tennis tournament has been suspended.

The ATP Tour said that two singles matches and one doubles match were underway when power went out at 12:34 p.m. local time (1034 GMT).

“The cut is preventing the use of electronic line calling systems and also left a spider cam dangling over the court inside Manolo Santana Stadium,” the ATP added.

Play at the Madrid Open tennis tournament has been suspended due to a major power outage reported in Spain and Portugal. / Credit: CNN

In Portugal, the outage hit the capital, Lisbon, and surrounding areas, as well as northern and southern parts of the country.

Portuguese distributor E-Redes said the outage was due to “a problem with the European electricity system,” according to Portuguese newspaper Expresso.

The company said it was compelled to cut power in specific areas to stabilise the network, according to Expresso.

E-Redes said parts of France also were affected.

It was not possible to make calls on mobile phone networks, though some apps were working.

Police in Portugal said traffic lights and street lighting were at risk of failing.

“Reduce your speed and pay extra attention,” they said, instructing people to avoid unnecessary journeys.

“Prioritise safe driving: your calmness saves lives.”

Spain and Portugal have a combined population of more than 50 million people. It is not immediately clear how many people are affected by the outages.

This is a breaking story, more to follow.