MADRID - The cause of Spain and Portugal’s widespread blackouts remained a mystery on Tuesday, with some isolated disruption remaining after power was largely restored. One of Europe’s most severe blackouts grounded flights, paralysed train...
systems, disrupted mobile communications and shut down ATMs across the Iberian Peninsula on Monday.
By 11 a.m. on Tuesday, the Spanish electrical system was functioning normally, electricity operator Red Eléctrica said. Portuguese grid operator REN said power had been restored to all 6.4 million customers. As life began to return to normal, authorities in Spain had yet to provide further explanation for why the nation of 49 million people lost 15 gigawatts – equivalent to 60 percent of its national demand – in five seconds.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the government’s priorities were restoring Spain’s electrical system and finding the causes of the blackout so that a similar event “never takes place again”. Spanish news agency EFE reported that authorities were investigating five deaths – including three members of the same family – that could be related to the blackout. (Jamaica Gleaner)
