Headlines
Spanish grid operator's first assessment rules out cyberattack behind blackout
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 29, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
Quick Summary
Spanish grid operator REE ruled out a cyberattack in the blackout affecting Spain and Portugal, citing a power generation loss.
Spanish Grid Operator Rules Out Cyberattack in Blackout
MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish electricity grid operator REE said on Tuesday its preliminary assessment had ruled out cyberattack as the cause of the nationwide power outage that hit most of Spain and Portugal on Monday.
Lights went off in most of the two countries at 12:33 p.m. (1033 GMT) on Monday in what was the worst blackout ever recorded in the Iberian Peninsula. Power supply only resumed in the evening.
REE's System Operations Chief Eduardo Prieto told a news briefing the electricity system was hit by a dramatic power generation loss in southwestern Spain, that caused instability in the system that led to its disconnection from the French grid.
He said it was quite possible that the affected generation was solar, but it was to early to say for sure.
Prieto said the system was now stable and working normally.
(Reporting by David Latona, editing Inti Landauro and Andrei Khalip)
Key Takeaways
- •REE ruled out cyberattack as the cause of the blackout.
- •The outage affected most of Spain and Portugal.
- •Power was restored by the evening.
- •The blackout was due to power generation loss in Spain.
- •The system is now stable and functioning normally.
Frequently Asked Questions about Spanish grid operator's first assessment rules out cyberattack behind blackout
1What is the main topic?
The article discusses the Spanish grid operator's assessment ruling out a cyberattack as the cause of a major power outage.
2What caused the blackout?
The blackout was caused by a dramatic power generation loss in southwestern Spain.
3Was the power outage limited to Spain?
No, the power outage affected both Spain and Portugal.
