Today a massive electrical blackout hit much of the Iberian Peninsula, knocking out power in Portugal, Spain and parts of southern France. The Iberian electricity network collapsed at 12:38 p.m. (CET) today. The exact cause and chain reactions which led to the crisis are not yet confirmed. The governments of Spain and Portugal declared states of emergency, and power is being slowly restored, region by region.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told a press conference late in the evening that experts have not yet established the cause of the unprecedented events.
Among the many reports is that a volume of electricity suddenly disappeared from the power grid, lasting for several seconds, and equivalent to 60% of the total nationwide consumption. This then destabilized Spain’s electricity grid, which is interconnected with Portugal, and with a few cross-border connections with France. Antonio Costa, former Prime Minister of Portugal, now President of the European Council, said there are “no indications” of a cyber attack.