Good morning. Here’s the latest on the massive blackout that struck Spain and Portugal yesterday. Power has now been restored to more than 90% of the country, but emergency measures remain in place. I’ll continue to post updates in the WhatsApp group as they come in.
Emergency Response
Valencia’s regional government declared a Level 3 emergency late Monday night, officially ceding authority to the federal government. The UME Military Emergency Unit has been deployed to assist.
Official Statements
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez made two public statements yesterday but said the cause of the blackout is still under investigation.
“We don’t have conclusive information. The causes are still being studied. We haven’t ruled out any hypothesis.” – Sánchez, 11 p.m. Monday
He added that 15 gigawatts of power—about 60% of Spain’s total demand—was lost in under 5 seconds.
- Full report: Sánchez: No hypothesis ruled out – Las Provincias
Transport & Services
- Train and metro service in Valencia has resumed, though schedules remain reduced.
?? What to Do in a Blackout
If you’re wondering how to prepare in case of another power failure, here’s a useful checklist:
Impact on Valencia
- The blackout exposed serious vulnerabilities in Spain’s power infrastructure.
- Valencia emergency services responded to 130+ calls, mostly from people trapped in elevators.
- Hundreds of train passengers had to be evacuated from stalled trains.
Current Power Status in Valencia
99% of the city has power again. However, Ruzafa and Patraix neighborhoods were still without electricity late into the night.