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Rabat – Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Morocco for its vital assistance in restoring electricity after an unprecedented power outage affected the entire Iberian Peninsula.
Sánchez acknowledged that Morocco, along with France, played a pivotal role in the recovery efforts, helping to restore power to southern regions of Spain in the wake of the crisis.
The outage struck at 12:32 p.m., causing major disruptions across the country.
Transportation networks came to a halt, thousands found themselves stuck in elevators, and 35,000 train passengers had to be evacuated.
By evening, electricity was gradually being restored to parts of Catalonia, Andalusia, and Extremadura, though Red Eléctrica officials warned that full restoration might take until nightfall.
Speaking at the end of a Security Council meeting, Sánchez thanked both Morocco and France for their swift response. “I would also like to thank these countries for their solidarity during this time,” he said.
While the cause of the outage remains unclear, Sánchez mentioned a “fluctuation” in the European electricity system, which triggered the widespread blackout. Despite the uncertainty, he urged the public to avoid speculation and to rely on official channels for accurate information.
“We still don’t have conclusive information about the reasons,” Sánchez said, stressing that the focus must remain on restoring electricity. He also reassured citizens that Spain’s hospital systems remained fully operational thanks to backup generators.
The power outage’s impact on transportation was significant, particularly rail services, which faced the longest recovery time.
Sánchez noted that medium- and long-distance rail routes would not resume operations on the same day, but efforts were underway to restore commuter services as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, air traffic and port operations continued without major disruption, although air traffic was temporarily reduced by 20% for safety measures.
Sánchez confirmed that many ATMs had been affected, though payment systems and online banking remained operational.
He also reported that the government had declared an electricity crisis, activating emergency protocols and accepting requests to declare civil protection level 3 in Andalusia, Extremadura, and Madrid. This decision grants the government authority to manage the crisis directly in those regions.
As the recovery effort continues, Sánchez urged the public to minimize travel and to use mobile phones responsibly, as the system works to regain full functionality.
Orange Maroc also reported major disruptions to its internet services on Monday due to the massive power outage.
