A massive blackout affects several countries in Europe

On Monday, a massive blackout affected large areas of Spain and Portugal, causing chaos in public transportation, traffic, and telecommunications. Red Eléctrica, the electricity system operator in Spain, confirmed the interruption and indicated that it was a broader problem related to the European electrical system.

In collaboration with energy companies, emergency protocols were activated and all available resources were allocated to restore the power supply.

The power outage occurred around 12:30 PM (local time), affecting millions of people on the Iberian Peninsula, which has a combined population of over 50 million.

In Spain, several regions were left in the dark, including the Parliament headquarters in Madrid, RTVE studios, and metro stations. In the Spanish capital, some metro stations were evacuated, and traffic lights out of service caused traffic jams in the city center, according to broadcasters like Cadena Ser.

Regarding Portugal, E-Redes, the country's electricity distributor, also acknowledged the magnitude of the problem, indicating that it was necessary to cut the supply in certain areas to stabilize the grid.

The blackout affected both Lisbon and Porto, as well as regions in the north and south of the country. The metro in both cities stopped operating, trains were canceled, and traffic lights stopped working, increasing the risk on the streets.

The Portuguese police asked drivers to take precautions, advising them to reduce speed and avoid unnecessary travel. "Prioritize safety at the wheel: your calm saves lives," was part of the message conveyed to the public.

In addition to transportation issues, the blackout affected telecommunications networks. Although mobile network calls were interrupted, some applications continued to function, allowing some communication between citizens.

Users on social networks and community chats, especially in Barcelona and its surroundings, reported the lack of electricity and uncertainty about the situation. The population and some media around Spain and other European countries are seriously talking about sabotage by the Russian government. 

Meanwhile, there is serious speculation that a high-voltage transmission line may have exploded and been seriously damaged in Andorra, which reinforces the sabotage theory. 

Renfe, the Spanish railway operator, also was forced to stop trains and cancel departures due to the lack of power supply. Meanwhile, Red Eléctrica emphasized that the causes of the failure were being analyzed and that it would continue to provide information as more became available.

In several service stations around Spain and Portugal, fuel supply has ceased due to the lack of power supply. 

Although the exact origin of the failure has not yet been confirmed, both in Spain and Portugal it is agreed that it is a broader problem within the European electrical system.

Efforts to restore service are progressing in phases, with priority given to ensuring the safety and operation of essential services.

Power supply failures have extended to several European countries, such as Greece, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland. The Spanish government has urgently convened a crisis meeting.