Tue Apr 29 03:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Iberian Peninsula Recovers from Massive Blackout Affecting 60 Million
**LISBON/MADRID, April 29, 2025** – Power has been largely restored across Spain and Portugal after a widespread blackout plunged the Iberian Peninsula into darkness on Monday, leaving millions without electricity, internet, and phone service. The outage, described as the largest in Europe’s recent history, affected an estimated 60 million people, stranding commuters on trains and in elevators.
By Tuesday morning, both governments reported that power supplies had nearly returned to normal, with the grid stabilized. However, the disruption is expected to continue, with ongoing delays to train and air travel and other logistical issues. The Spanish self-employed sector alone estimates losses of up to €1.3 billion.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that 99.95% of energy demand has been restored in Spain, with all substations operational. The Portuguese government has also issued a statement confirming the return to normal operations. However, the Lisbon Metro experienced continued disruptions earlier in the day.
The cause of the blackout remains under investigation. Portuguese Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz hinted that the origin may lie outside of Portugal. Both governments issued warnings against misinformation circulating online regarding the cause and responsibility for the outage.
The incident raises serious questions about Europe’s energy security, particularly in light of a recent high-level summit on the topic. Experts and officials are now scrambling to understand how such a widespread failure occurred and to implement measures to prevent future incidents of this scale. The investigation into the cause will be a key focus in the coming days.
First Piper 