Power Blackout Shocker: 2025's Disastrous Disruption
Estimated damages from Spain's blackout reach 1 billion euros
Gossip mills are buzzing with details, but the actual amount of the financial toll from the catastrophic power blackout in 2025 remains under wraps, as sources reveal that a comprehensive assessment is on its way. The Objective adds that Spain's GDP, estimated at around 4.1 billion euros a day, assigns about 14% (nearly 575 million euros) to the industrial sector, while the service sector receives approximately 12% (around 500 million euros).
The publication breaks down the events, disclosing that factories opting for independent power supply were forced to shut down owing to uncertainties about the power supply situation and authorities' pleas to clock in only essential operations using generators.
On April 28, 2025, the Iberian Peninsula plunged into darkness, engulfing Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and southern France in blackout[1][2]. Now, both Spain and Portugal's power grids are fully back to normal[3][4]. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed the restoration of electricity in Spain on his official account, while Portugal's operator E-Redes and Diario de Noticias reported similar news for Portugal. France was hit briefly[5].
Sánchez announced that electricity demand has been restored to a mind-boggling 99.95%, with all power transmission substations back online. The Spanish national power grid operator, Red Electrica, also confirmed the normalization of the entire network[5].
The Portuguese government revealed that 6.4 million customers receive electricity in normal mode now, with exceptions for 800 consumers whose issues have nothing to do with the incident[4]. Train traffic has resumed, and stores are gradually reopening. Continued flight delays, however, linger[4].
As the mystery behind the power outages looms large, theories are abundant. Don't believe the chatter about fires in France or cyberattacks[5]. Portugal's REN debunked claims of power disruptions due to a fire[6], while the company explained the blackout in Portugal as a rare atmospheric phenomenon, caused by sudden temperature changes in Spain leading to abnormal fluctuations in high-voltage power lines[7]. Portugal's Prime Minister Luís Montenegro reckons there's no evidence of hackers causing the blackout[7]. Spain's Red Electrica denied that the outage was due to a cyberattack[5]. Sánchez shared that Spain lost 15 GW of power in five seconds---enough to wipe out 60% of national demand[5].
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Overall:
The misconception of the 2025 power blackout happening on April 28, 2021, should be cleared. Here's some background information and the currently unconfirmed theories surrounding the cause:
Background:
- Date and Time: The blackout occurred on April 28, 2025, beginning at 12:33 CEST (11:33 WEST).
- Affected Areas: It hit the Iberian Peninsula, including mainland Portugal, peninsular Spain, with minor impacts in Andorra and parts of southwestern France[3][4].
Causes and Theories:
- Official Investigation: The official cause remains undetermined. Red Eléctrica de España (REE) initially suspected a grid disconnection in southwest Spain but has ruled out cyberattacks[4].
- Atmospheric Phenomena: Preliminary media reports hinted at the possibility of "induced atmospheric vibration," which may have caused abnormal oscillations in high-voltage power lines[2][3]; however, this theory isn't officially corroborated.
- Sources have revealed that approximately 14% and 12% of Spain's GDP is assigned to the industrial and service sectors, respectively, as reported by The Objective.
- The Iberian Peninsula, including Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and southern France, experienced a power blackout on April 28, 2025, as mentioned in numerous publications.
- Independent theories regarding the cause of the 2025 power blackout abound; however, the official investigation by Red Eléctrica de España (REE) has yet to confirm a conclusive cause.
- The electricity grid in both Spain and Portugal has been fully restored to normal operation, as per the official confirmation from Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Portugal's operator E-Redes.
- Portugal's Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, along with several other sources, has voiced skepticism about theories suggesting cyberattacks or fires as the cause of the 2025 power blackout, but an official confirmation of the cause is still pending.
