Spain Faces Long Night as Blackout Drags On Without Answers

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned of a “long night ahead,” as the worst blackout to hit Europe in over a decade approached the 12-hour mark with no cause clearly identified and an uncertain timeline for the full restoration of power.

Spain and Portugal were hit with a massive power outage just after midday on Monday, crippling travel, disrupting communication networks and businesses across the region, with several oil refineries reporting production halts. Grid operator Red Electrica initially said it expected full service would take six to 10 hours to restore, but only about 50% of supply had returned by the time Sanchez spoke.