A mass blackout left without electricity this Monday in large areas of Spain, Portugal and southern France shortly after 12:30 noon. The interruption of the service, which at some points lasted just a few minutes but whose sequelae persists, caused serious disorders in transport, communications and the operation of basic services. Red Eléctrica reported that the cut affected the “peninsular system” and has activated emergency protocols while investigating the origin of the ruling.
The interruption forced to stop rail traffic, affected air operations at the airports of Madrid-Barajas, Lisbon and Barcelona-El Prat, and collapsed public transport in several cities, leaving thousands of stranded passengers. Traffic lights off, closed subway stations and dark shops were replicated in numerous points of the territory.
Transportation and airports
Railway activity was paralyzed throughout Spain, both in conventional and high -speed lines. The Madrid and Barcelona subway interrupted their service, while buses tried to absorb user demand.
At airports, air controllers reported operational restrictions in Madrid and Lisbon, and flight cancellations in Barcelona began. Although at El Prat airport it was made sure that there were no serious incidents, uncertainty seized the main air terminals.
Impact on everyday life
The traffic lights generated chaos in the urban traffic of cities such as Valladolid, Alicante and Malaga. At some points, the lack of electricity left passengers trapped in elevators, including a nonagenarian woman in Girona.
The shops were also forced to close their doors. Stores in the main streets of Barcelona, such as the portal of L’àngel, were dark, while supermarkets such as Aldi and day interrupted their activities due to the impossibility of operating cash registers or security systems. In Malaga, employees improvised cash sales while trying to avoid losses in refrigerated products.
Paralyzed industries
The blackout also hit the great industry. Plants such as Ford Almussafes and Factories of Iveco stopped their production lines due to the lack of supply. “The workers are scared, they do not know what happened,” said a Ford spokesman.
In the banking sector, the online banking of entities such as ING and Abanca fell temporarily, while other banks, such as BBVA and Santander, managed to stay operational.
Security and hospitals
The country’s nuclear power plants, following the security protocols, disconnected their electric production and operated by internal diesel generators, according to the Nuclear Safety Council.
The hospitals, meanwhile, resorted to structure groups to maintain patient care. Centers such as the Bellvitge Hospital in Barcelona or the University Hospital of A Coruña said they managed to function normally thanks to their backup systems.
Balearic Islands and Canary Islands
The Balearic and Canary Islands did not register cuts of light, thanks to their electrical systems are isolated from the continent or connected by independent submarine cables.
The government responds
President Pedro Sánchez and the third vice president, Sara Aagesen, went to the Electric Red Control Center to supervise the situation. From the Ministry for Ecological Transition they said that “all the resources available to restore the supply are being dedicated.”
For its part, Madrid’s 112 emergency service asked citizens not to make unnecessary calls to avoid saturations in the lines.
Portugal in the dark
In Portugal, Red Eléctrica Nacional confirmed a generalized failure that also affected telecommunications. Lisbon airport lived background scenes, without clear official information so far about the origin of the cut.
In -advance research
Red Eléctrica de España reported that the blackout left the peninsular system in “zero” tension in minutes. Although service replacement plans are already underway, the specific causes remain under analysis.
Meanwhile, a good part of the Peninsula continues to recover from one of the largest electric cuts in recent years.
By rn
