Massive power outage causes blackouts across Spain and Portugal

A massive power outage has hit Spain and Portugal, causing chaos across the Iberian Peninsula as authorities raced to restore electricity.

Spanish electricity grid operator Red Eléctrica said on Monday that "plans to restore the power supply" were being implemented across the mainland.

Spanish railway company Renfe reported that the entire national power grid had failed at 12:30 pm (1030 GMT), causing trains to stop.

The cause of the outage has not been announced.

In neighbouring Portugal, there was a blackout in several areas, broadcaster RTP reported.

According to Spanish newspaper El País, the INCIBE cybersecurity authority is investigating the incident and has not ruled out a cyberattack.

Reporters from dpa in Madrid and Barcelona confirmed the outage across both cities, with the Madrid Open tennis tournament also suspended.

The Canary and Balearic Islands were not affected, while a power outage in Andorra lasted only a few seconds before the grid was automatically reconnected to the French grid, operator FEDA said on X.