NPR State of the World: Global News & Analysis
- BARCELONA, Spain — A massive blackout plunged much of Spain and Portugal into darkness Monday, disrupting critical infrastructure and daily life.
- Thousands of train passengers found themselves stranded as the blackout brought rail transport to a standstill.
- Authorities are working to restore power and investigate the cause of the widespread outage.
A massive power outage has crippled Spain and Portugal, plunging millions into darkness and disrupting critical services. This unprecedented blackout, impacting essential infrastructure, stranded thousands of train passengers and knocked out communication networks across the Iberian Peninsula. Millions are without phone and internet access, while financial services are impaired. Financial disruptions are now underway. stay informed with minute-by-minute updates on the global impact from News Directory 3. Authorities are working to restore power and investigate the cause of this widespread disruption. Discover what’s next.
Iberian Peninsula Grapples With Massive Blackout; Trains halted
Updated June 16, 2025
BARCELONA, Spain — A massive blackout plunged much of Spain and Portugal into darkness Monday, disrupting critical infrastructure and daily life. The unprecedented power outage left millions without essential services across the Iberian Peninsula.
Thousands of train passengers found themselves stranded as the blackout brought rail transport to a standstill. Communication networks also suffered, leaving millions without phone and internet coverage. The disruption extended to financial services, with access to cash from ATMs unavailable.
iran’s ongoing retaliatory attacks with ballistic missiles towards Israel are seen from Tel Aviv, Israel on June
16, 2025. Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images
What’s next
Authorities are working to restore power and investigate the cause of the widespread outage. The full impact on
the region’s economy and infrastructure is still being assessed.