Electricity supplies have been restored in various parts of the centre of the Spanish capital, Madrid, after a massive blackout hit much of the Iberian Peninsula and caused disruptions, Reuters reported, citing witnesses.
There was a massive power outage in Spain and Portugal today, affecting the capitals of Madrid and Lisbon.
The Spanish Ministry of the Interior has declared a state of emergency, and the emergency status will be applied to regions that request it, the BBC reports.
The company Redelektrika, which produces electricity in Spain, announced that the Iberian Peninsula, which rarely experiences such a massive power outage, was affected.
It is not yet known how many of the 50 million residents of the two countries have been affected by the power outage.
Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reported that power went out in several Spanish regions at around 12:30 local time, including the parliament in Madrid and metro stations across the country. Power outages were also reported by residents of Barcelona and surrounding areas.
Photos from Spain:
In Portugal, which has a population of 10,6 million, power went out in Lisbon and surrounding areas and in the northern and southern parts of the country.
Photos from Portugal:
Portuguese electricity distribution company E-Redes said the blackout was caused by "problems with the European electricity system", adding that parts of France were also affected.
Portuguese airport operator ANA said on Monday that it did not expect flights from Lisbon to be able to take off until 22 p.m. local time (23 p.m. CET), Reuters reported.
The statement said operations had resumed at Porto and Faro airports, but with restrictions.
Spanish oil company says it has halted operations
Spanish oil company Moeve said it had halted operations at its oil refineries in Spain after a power outage, a spokesman said, according to Reuters.
Moeve, formerly known as Cepsa, operates three Spanish refineries, which account for around 40% of the country's refining capacity.
The company is owned by the Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala fund and the American private equity firm Carlyle Group.
Montenegro: Supply expected in the coming hours, no indication of a cyber attack
Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro told reporters today that he expected electricity supplies to be restored "in the coming hours," Reuters reported.
He added that there was "no indication" that the cause of the blackout was a cyberattack.
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