The biggest difference between a brownout and a blackout is that a brownout is a partial outage whereas a blackout is a complete shutdown.
MADRID, Spain – A widespread power outage plunged parts of Spain and Portugal into darkness on Monday, causing significant disruptions to transportation and daily life.
The cause of the massive grid failure across the Iberian Peninsula, which is also affecting parts of France, remains under investigation, according to grid operator REN (Redes Energéticas Nacionais). Some reports indicate it could have been caused by a rare atmospheric phenomenon.
“At this time, voltage has been recovered in substations in several areas of the north, south and west of the peninsula,” the company said. “We continue to work with all resources to achieve the restoration of supply as soon as possible throughout the entire territory.”
LISBON, PORTUGAL – APRIL 28: The subway entrance lies in darkness during a power outage on April 28, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. There was a widespread power outage today in Spain and Portugal and parts of France.
(Adri Salido / Getty Images)
There has been no immediate estimate of when power will be fully restored.
In Madrid, the impact was immediately felt as traffic ground to a halt near the major transport hub of Plaza de Castilla. Footage shared on social media platform X showed long lines of vehicles backed up.
The outage also impacted airport operations, affecting services and information systems across the region.
Spanish airport operator Aena confirmed that airports were utilizing backup power to remain open despite the widespread outage.
Portugal bore a significant brunt of the blackout as well. Lisbon’s international airport saw extensive lines at immigration control.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.