Spain’s Blackout: A Year Later – Podcast Reflects on Vulnerability & Sounds of Disruption
- A year has passed since a major blackout left Spain and Portugal without power and internet access, disrupting daily life across the Iberian Peninsula.
- The first podcast, released immediately following the blackout on April 28, 2025, captured the sounds of the event as it unfolded, documenting its impact on the country.
- "People were stunned because this had never happened in Spain," Carlos Condori, a 19-year-old construction sector worker, told AFP at the time.
A year has passed since a major blackout left Spain and Portugal without power and internet access, disrupting daily life across the Iberian Peninsula. Podcasts released this week by elDiario.es revisit the event, examining both the immediate aftermath and offering a more reflective look back at the widespread disruption.
The first podcast, released immediately following the blackout on April 28, 2025, captured the sounds of the event as it unfolded, documenting its impact on the country. The second podcast, published later, explored the vulnerability exposed by the outage, featuring interviews with elDiario.es staff and other individuals who shared their experiences.
“People were stunned because this had never happened in Spain,” Carlos Condori, a 19-year-old construction sector worker, told AFP at the time.
Carlos Condori, as reported by elDiario.es
The blackout caused widespread disruption, halting traffic signals, mobile networks, fuel pumps, and payment systems. Madrid’s metro system came to a standstill, requiring passengers to be evacuated from trains.
The initial response to the blackout included widespread speculation about its cause, with some incorrectly blaming renewable energy sources.
elDiario.es is inviting listeners to share their own stories and sounds related to the blackout by sending voice notes via WhatsApp to +34 699 518 743, saving the contact as “Un tema Al día.”
Un tema Al día, the daily news podcast from elDiario.es, is hosted and directed by Juanlu Sánchez, the publication’s deputy director. Episodes typically last around 15 minutes and cover a current event. The podcast has received the Ondas Award for Best Podcast and is a leading daily podcast on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcast, iVoox, Amazon Music, and Podimo, with over 190,000 subscribers.
New episodes of Un tema Al día are available to subscribers of elDiario.es a few hours before public release. The podcast is also available on:
Listeners can subscribe to Un tema Al día on their preferred podcast app and find all episodes at elDiario.es/aldia.