Spain and Portugal are facing massive power outages on Monday that have affected online services and transportation.
Large areas in the two Iberian countries have been affected by power outages, leaving residents without light and mobile phone signal, reports El Pais.
The power outages have affected communications, airports, high-speed transport networks in both Spain and Portugal. Traffic lights and shopping centers have also been affected.
Issues also in France
Residents from all regions in Spain and Portugal reported a power outage that lasted a few minutes shortly after noon.
Confused people turned to social media to report on the power outages that seem to have also affected some areas in France.
Investigations into a cyber attack
The main Spanish electricity companies consulted by the cited newspaper have not yet announced the reason for these problems in the national energy system.
The Spanish government is investigating the situation through multiple technical teams from various ministries, writes the Spanish daily.
According to Red Eléctrica, the public company responsible for electrical connections, efforts are being made to resolve the power supply interruption.
The National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE) is investigating whether the massive power outage was caused by a cyber attack. So far, no conclusion has been announced, writes the Spanish daily.
The company Redeia stated that "plans to restore electricity supply have been activated, in collaboration with companies in the sector following the blackout that occurred in the peninsular system," the company specified on X. "The causes are being analyzed, and all resources are allocated to resolve it," Redeia added.
Lisbon Airport is blocked
In Portugal, the power outage is also widespread. Thousands of bewildered passengers are waiting at Lisbon Airport, affected by the lack of electricity.
There is still no official explanation from the Portuguese government regarding the breakdown that also affects the telecommunications network.
Red Eléctrica Nacional, the company managing the distribution, confirmed that there is a nationwide breakdown and is trying to determine the causes.