The biggest blackout in history leaves Spain, Portugal, Italy and France without power

Latest news on the general blackout in Spain, Portugal, Andorra, Italy and France: What is known

An unprecedented electrical blackout has affected all of Spain, Portugal and Andorra this Monday, April 28, 2025, leaving millions of homes and businesses in the Iberian Peninsula and parts of France and Italy without electricity. The power outage occurred around 12:30 p.m. and has had immediate consequences on transport, telecommunications and daily life.

Scope and consequences of today's blackout, Monday, April 28, 2025

• The blackout has left practically all of Spain (except the Balearic and Canary Islands), Portugal and Andorra without electricity, and has also affected parts of France and Italy.

• Mobile phone, internet and data networks have been interrupted, affecting operators such as Movistar and Orange. Many mobile phones have lost coverage and data access.

• Rail transport, including the AVE and the metro in cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, has been paralyzed, forcing the evacuation of stations such as Atocha.

• Traffic lights and traffic systems have stopped working in numerous cities, causing traffic incidents.

• Only emergency generators have continued to operate in hospitals and critical services.

Origin and causes of the massive blackout What happened?

• There is still no official version of the reason for the blackout. Electricity companies and Red Eléctrica de España (REE) are investigating the causes and have activated plans to restore electricity supply.

• There has been a massive drop in electricity demand, with a reduction of up to 100,000 megawatts in supply on the peninsula.

• The cut has been sudden and, although in some places the interruption has lasted less than a minute, in others the restoration is being slower.

Current situation of the general blackout: Latest news

• At 1:00 p.m., the incident was still not completely resolved. REE and the electricity companies are working to restore the service, but there is no clear estimate of when the situation will return to normal.

• The authorities recommend caution in traffic and the use of public services until normality is restored.

(Expanding information)

The widespread blackout of April 28, 2025 is one of the largest recorded in the recent history of the Iberian Peninsula, with impact in Spain, Portugal, Andorra and areas of France and Italy. The causes are still being investigated, while emergency services and electricity companies are working to restore supply and clarify the origin of the fault.