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Crowds wait outside Lisbon's Humberto Delgado airport - some are sat on the floor and others are stood looking at their phones * Live Reporting (active) * Watch & listen Summary * Spain has declared a state of emergency after a massive power cut hit large parts of the country and Portugal, causing widespread disruption * More than half of Spain's power has been restored, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says, but authorities have not yet established why the outage occurred * There was "no indication" that the power cut was caused by a cyber attack, the Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, said * People report driving to find open petrol stations, teaching in the dark - and drinking beers by candlelight * The authorities are trying to project an air of calm but they've increased deployments of security forces and are calling on people to limit their mobile phone use, writes the BBC's Europe regional editor * Are you affected? Email: bbcyourvoice@bbc.co.uk, external or WhatsApp +44 7756 165803 This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Watch: Traffic chaos as Spain and Portugal face power outages Live Reporting Edited by Neha Gohil 1. Power partially restored but disruption continues into the night published at 23:00 British Summer Time 23:00 BST People rest on the floor at Atocha train station during a power outage, in Madrid, Spain.Image source, Reuters It's been several hours since the first reports emerged of power cuts in Spain and Portugal, causing widespread disruption and travel chaos. As we approach midnight in Barcelona and 23:00 in Lisbon, here are the latest updates: + Half of Spain's power has been restored, according to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, after a state of emergency was declared in the country + Authorities are still yet to establish why the outage occurred, Sanchez said, after Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro insisted there was "no indication" of a cyber attack + Sanchez told the country "a long night lies ahead" as images across Spain and Portugal show residents plunged into darkness + A European trade body told the BBC's The World Tonight there was a "technical issue" with an energy connection between France and Spain earlier + Portugal's power firm REN said earlier today it could take a week to normalise the country's power network in full We'll be pausing our live coverage but you can stay across this story on the BBC's website: + Spain and Portugal scramble to restore power as officials chase cause of outage + 'Everything went off': How Spain and Portugal's massive power cut unfolded + Watch: Traffic chaos as Spain and Portugal face power outages Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 2. Drinking beers by candlelight in Madrid as city reels from power cutpublished at 22:43 British Summer Time 22:43 BST [941b0d1c]Gabriela Pomeroy Live reporter Isaac smiles in a dark room, lit by candlesImage source, Isaac Bifet Classical violinist Isaac Bifet went to a rehearsal this morning at the symphony orchestra in Madrid. But the building was all dark and most of the other orchestra players hadn't turned up because they were stranded with no transport. People without cash were particularly stuck, he says, because online payments systems went down. "I had no cash," Isaac says, "so I went to a cafe and the owner said: 'Don't worry you can pay me another time.'" Isaac has had no mobile phone connection for most of the day. When he spoke to me, his connection had just come back but he is still not able to charge his phone. He went out and bought a transistor radio, because old-style radios were still working, he says. "It was a very strange day," Isaac says. "The atmosphere in the city was actually pretty nice" he says, "though a little medieval". Now he is at home, drinking beers with friends by candlelight. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 3. Extra police deployed to maintain public order and prevent lootingpublished at 22:38 British Summer Time 22:38 BSTBreaking [cf47f611]Sergi Forcada Freixas BBC News Spain's Interior Ministry has been reinforcing police patrols across the country by deploying 30,000 officers to maintain public order and prevent security incidents, particularly on roads where traffic signals are not working. "Citizens can and should remain calm," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said during his latest address. In many towns and cities, plain clothed officers are being used to prevent looting and protect businesses, many of which are unable to lower their electric shutters due to the power outage. In Catalonia, the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan Police) will deploy more than 7,000 officers overnight to respond to emergencies and maintain public order. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 4. Half of Spain's power restored, PM sayspublished at 22:31 British Summer Time 22:31 BSTBreaking We're getting some new details now from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez He says around half the country has now had their power restored - with the rest due to be restored by tomorrow. As for any cause, Sanchez explains the authorities have not yet established why the outage occurred. "Citizens can and should be calm," he says. "We have a clear goal and is to get power fully restored by tomorrow." He adds that schools will remain open tomorrow but that in some cases there won't be classes or exams. "A long night lies ahead; we will continue working to restore normality as soon as possible," he concludes. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 5. 'Technical issue' between France and Spain's energy connection - European trade bodypublished at 22:29 British Summer Time 22:29 BSTBreaking The trade body that represents the power industry in Europe tells BBC's The World Tonight a problem occurred with the energy connection between France and Spain earlier today. Kristian Ruby, the general secretary of EURELECTRIC, also describes the outage as a "50 year, if not 100 year incident....something very very rare " Ruby tells BBC's World Tonight they are aware of a "specific incident with an interconnector between France and Spain". The general secretary says: "There was a specific technical issue that arose there and hence the Spanish grid was disconnected from the broader European grid earlier today. "Now, judging from that situation alone, you wouldn't think that would cause a power cut across the entire Iberian peninsula, so my assessment is there is likely to have been other elements in this equation that have caused this situation," he adds. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 6. Candles and phone torches: Power outage continues for Spanish residentspublished at 22:11 British Summer Time 22:11 BST A man stands behind a counter, shelves of alcohol can be seen behind himImage source, EPA Image caption, For some impacted areas, there's little hope for any light as the power outage continues A man sits with his dog on a sofa. On the table candles are providing lightImage source, EPA Image caption, A resident in Murcia plays with his pet inside his home lit with candles The outline of three people in darkness as they shine phone torches at shelves of crispsImage source, EPA Image caption, Shops and businesses in Barcelona have also been affected by the power cut A winding road in darkness, buildings can be seen on either side but no lights are coming from the windowsImage source, EPA Image caption, More than 30% of Spain's power demand has been restored, according to the country's national operator Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 7. 'I was getting off the train when the lights went out'published at 21:54 British Summer Time 21:54 BST [941b0d1c]Gabriela Pomeroy Live reporter People leave the closed metro station, during a power outage. Image source, Getty Images I've been speaking with Sarah Jovovich who describes the panic and confusion after the lights went off at Madrid's metro station. "I was just getting off the train when the lights went out," she says. "People were confused and hysterical, it was quite chaotic really." Although she wasn't personally afraid, Sarah says "some people were panicking". The mobile phones stopped working and nobody had any information, she says, adding: "People didn't know what to do." After police told passengers to evacuate the station, Sarah found the streets gridlocked with heavy traffic. "No one understood anything. Businesses were closed, buses were full and people got nervous quickly," she says. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 8. 11 trains remain stranded, Spanish transport minister says published at 21:33 British Summer Time 21:33 BST Transport Minister Oscar Puente says 11 trains are still stranded in Spain, hours after a power outage affected huge swathes of the country. The minister says power has been restored to a control centre and there have been issues with the coupling of the locomotives and they are in difficult areas to access. As of 22:00 local time (21:00 BST) Puente says 43.28% of the country's energy demand has been recovered. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 9. Passengers left stranded after train halted due to power cut published at 21:22 British Summer Time 21:22 BST Bernadette McCague & James Kelly BBC News An image of a field with stranded passengersImage source, Gabriela Chavez. Gabriela Chavez was travelling between Seville and Madrid via train when the power went out and the AC and toilets stopped working. "They have let everyone off the train but we have no idea how long we will have to wait for," she told the BBC earlier today. "People at the top of the hill have flagged down cars who have dropped off water and crisps for us, which is kind [and] people from the village have come to drop off supplies for us. "Someone has come from the local town with a big pot of pasta for everyone to eat. It's actually very sweet to see everyone come together in a time of need." Jonathan Emery, 37, also told the BBC of his experience when his train was stopped. "For about an hour, [the train was] just not moving, the doors were closed. "After about an hour they could at least open the doors which let a little bit of ventilation in. About half an hour after that people were let off the train." Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 10. 35% of energy demand restored in Spain, operator sayspublished at 21:12 British Summer Time 21:12 BST Red Electrica, Spain's power operator, has issued an update in the last few moments that they are meeting 35% of the country's energy demand. "We can currently estimate the recovered demand at around 9,200 MW, which represents approximately 35% of the forecast demand," a translation of the statement reads. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 11. Authorities try to project calm but disruption continuespublished at 21:03 British Summer Time 21:03 BST Danny Aeberhard Europe regional editor, BBC World Service Big queues at a bus station at the Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid . A police officer stands at the front.Image source, Getty Images Image caption, People wait at a bus station at the Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid Some electricity supplies are being restored, both in Spain and Portugal. But the disruption continues to be massive. Train services remain suspended, with thousands of people stranded. Shops in some areas have reported empty shelves, as people stock up on basic supplies and have to use cash due to electronic payment systems being down. Spain's central government is assuming emergency powers in those areas that have requested it -- including Andalusia and Madrid. The authorities are trying to project an air of calm. But, they've increased deployments of the security forces. They're also calling on citizens to limit their use of mobile phones, with networks under strain, and not to make unnecessary trips. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 12. Spanish PM to give update shortlypublished at 20:53 British Summer Time 20:53 BST Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is expected to speak shortly to give an update after the country's interior ministry declared a state of emergency. The conference was scheduled to begin at 21:30 local time (20:30 BST), but seems to be delayed. We will bring you the latest lines from him once it begins. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 13. Electricity restored for 750,000 customers in Portugal, says energy providerpublished at 20:47 British Summer Time 20:47 BST Power operator REN says electricity is back for 750,000 customers in Portugal. Energy supply to the Carregado and Sacavem substations has been restored, the operator says on its website, adding that this is an "essential step" towards re-supplying Lisbon. "All substations in Greater Porto are now operational, meaning consumers in the area should see their situation return to normal soon," the statement adds. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 14. What does a state of emergency mean in Spain?published at 20:37 British Summer Time 20:37 BST Sofia Ferreira Santos Live reporter A customer counting change at a store while a cashier sits opposite him with a lit candle during a power cutImage source, Reuters Image caption, Several regions of Spain, including the capital Madrid, have been affected by a massive power cut As we've been reporting, Spain has declared a state of emergency and says regions that request emergency status will be granted extra support. But what does this mean? Spain's 17 regions have their own directly-elected authorities, which handle a number of issues local to their area. But when big events happen, such as a large-scale power cut as we're seeing today, and impact large swathes of the country, regions are able to get further help from the national government by requesting it actions a state of emergency. Today, for example, the regions of Madrid, Andalusia and Extremadura have asked the central Spanish government to take over public order and other functions while the country grapples with the impacts of the power cut. According to Spanish law, an incident can be considered a state of emergency when it affects several autonomous regions in the country and they have a need for further resources, or require national leadership. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 15. Power seems to be coming back for Madridpublished at 20:14 British Summer Time 20:14 BST Devian Maside Reporting from Madrid People walk in Park Manzanares as Madrid Open matches were suspended due to a power outage, in Madrid, SpainImage source, Reuters Image caption, People were pictured earlier walking in Park Manzanares as Madrid Open matches were suspended amid the blackout Power is coming back in the Spanish capital, some shops and the metro. Some rural areas are reporting the power being restored. Public transport, the trains and metro are still not open to the public but security is gathering at the entrance of Sol metro station for it to be opened soon. Rural areas north of Madrid have reported the power and Wifi coming back. Streetlights have also just come on in the city. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 16. More than 20% of Spain's power restored, says electricity operatorpublished at 20:08 British Summer Time 20:08 BST Spanish power operator Red Electrica has said more than 20% of the country's affected power capacity has been restored. Electricity supply is being "progressively restored", the operator says in a post on social media platform X. Some of this supply has been coming from domestic sources and some from France, the post adds. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 17. Spain declares state of emergencypublished at 19:54 British Summer Time 19:54 BSTBreaking Spain's Interior Ministry has declared a state of emergency following today's power outage. The emergency status will be applied to regions that request it, the ministry says. So far, Madrid, Andalusia and Extremadura have asked for the central government to take over public order and other functions. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 18. Analysis Power outage unlikely to be caused by a single fault - UK expert published at 19:46 British Summer Time 19:46 BST [023eb97f]Georgina Rannard Climate and science reporter A woman displays the name of the town she needs to go to, hoping that any drivers going in that direction will take her, during delays in public transportation, due to a nationwide power outage in Madrid, SpainImage source, Reuters Image caption, A woman in Madrid displays the name of the town she needs to go to, hoping that any drivers going in that direction will take her Not a single expert I've spoken to has a clear theory about what might lie behind this. It's not an exaggeration to say everyone is stumped. But this is a reminder of how vulnerable national electricity systems are. "Over many decades, we can see that at least one major power outage, on the scale of this one, tends to happen somewhere in the world every year," says Prof Keith Bell at Glasgow's University of Strathclyde. "Every event is different, both in how it started and how the characteristics of that particular system affected how it developed," he suggests. He says this outage in Portugal and Spain is unlikely to be down to one single fault. Power operators are supposed to be what is called N-1 secure - meaning they can cope with any single outage and absorb that problem into the system. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 19. Portuguese government's website down amid power cutpublished at 19:35 British Summer Time 19:35 BST Screengrab from Portugal.gov.pt showing an error messageImage source, Portugal.gov.pt Image caption, This is a screengrab from the website, which displays an error message when you try to access it The website of the Portuguese government, portugal.gov.pt, is currently down and displaying an error message which reads: "The government portal is currently unavailable. We will try to restore the service soon." It seems to have been down for a while - when we tried to access it earlier this afternoon, at around 14:20 BST, it was also displaying the same message. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing 20. Spain and Portugal's flight cancellations - in numberspublished at 19:23 British Summer Time 19:23 BST Simon Browning Business Reporter Commuters walk to departures at Lisbon's Humberto Delgado airport as the area is closed due to the blackout affecting Spain and Portugal, in Lisbon, PortugalImage source, EPA Image caption, Travellers at Lisbon's airport faced the most cancelled departures earlier today, according to Cirium We've had some data through on flight cancellations today from aviation analytics firm Cirium. Sent to the BBC this afternoon, the statistics showed that 96 flights departing from Portugal had been cancelled, with Lisbon the worst-affected airport (29.63% of departures cancelled). In Spain, 45 departures had been cancelled. Barcelona's airport saw 2.98% departures cancelled and in Madrid it was 2.56%. This data relates to overall flight cancellations. We do not know the specific reasons for each cancellation. Earlier, Spain's transport minister said air traffic was operating at 80% capacity. Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing previous page Page 1 of 4 1. 1 2. 2 3. 3 4. ... 5. 4 next page To watch and listen, you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch & listen * Cause Of Massive Power Cut In Spain And Portugal Still Unknown. BBC News. VideoCause Of Massive Power Cut In Spain And Portugal Still Unknown BBC News 7:13 Cause Of Massive Power Cut In Spain And Portugal Still Unknown * Home * News * Sport * Business * Innovation * Culture * Travel * Earth * Audio * Video * Live * Terms of Use * About the BBC * Privacy Policy * Cookies * Accessibility Help * Parental Guidance * Contact the BBC * BBC emails for you * Advertise with us Copyright (c) 2025 BBC. 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