Extensive regions of Portugal, Spain, sections of France, and parts of Italy faced a significant power outage at approximately 11:40 a.m. (Lisbon time) on April 28.
According to Sky News, Spain’s electricity network operator, Red Electrica, stated that it is collaborating with companies to restore services. In Portugal, electrical distribution company E-REDES reported that the disruption stemmed from an issue within the European grid and that work is underway to resolve it, as detailed by local outlet Noticias.
Noticias further highlighted that several hospitals in Portugal lost power, including the Curry Cabral Hospital. Medical staff there noted they were unable to access computers and expressed concern that vaccines stored in refrigeration units could soon spoil if power was not restored promptly.
El Hospital Clinico de Santiago de Compostela sin luz. Increíble, lo mismo en La Coruña y en otras zonas de Galicia. Los teléfonos tampoco funcionan. #apagon #SinLuz #hospital #santiagodecompostela #galicia pic.twitter.com/D3ANFIkRqF
— Oscar Caamaño (@Oscarclinica) April 28, 2025
The National Institute of Medical Emergencies (INEM) in Portugal has activated emergency protocols and requested that residents only call 112 in cases of serious emergencies to prevent overwhelming the service. Portugal’s police warned that many traffic lights are malfunctioning and urged drivers to “Slow down and stay vigilant,” adding that if travel is not essential, it should be avoided. “Drive carefully – your calmness can save lives.”
Meanwhile, disruptions were also felt in Spain where the Madrid Open had to pause play. Social media posts captured scenes of fans left almost entirely in darkness, particularly on the lower levels of the venue.
Politico reported that an anonymous official said, “A crisis committee has been formed to manage the situation [in Spain]. There is no definitive cause identified yet for the widespread outage. A cyberattack has not been ruled out, and investigations are still ongoing.”
Travelers planning trips to the Iberian Peninsula are advised to check with airlines. Several major airports, including Lisbon and Madrid, have been severely impacted. Reports from El Español indicated that planes landing in Madrid were being kept on the tarmac, with passengers not allowed to disembark due to operational issues caused by the blackout.
According to El País, Lisbon’s airport is also experiencing major disruptions. Flights both to and from the city have been delayed, and as of 12:50 p.m. local time, electricity had not yet been restored.
This situation is still evolving.
