Spanish court probes massive power outage as possible sabotage

Spain’s high court has ordered a preliminary investigation into the April 28 power blackout to determine if it was caused by sabotage, with a focus on whether a cyberattack was involved.

Minutes after the court's decision, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez addressed the media, reassuring the public that there was no current evidence suggesting a cyberattack, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

However, he acknowledged that the situation remains under investigation. Sanchez emphasised that technicians are still working to pinpoint the cause of the blackout, which disrupted millions of people across Spain, Portugal, and parts of France. “What happened yesterday cannot ever happen again,” he said during the press conference.

The Red Eléctrica de España (REE), the country’s national grid operator, issued a preliminary assessment ruling out a cyberattack as the cause of the outage. Despite this, Sanchez confirmed that Spain's cybersecurity authorities are continuing to investigate the possibility of a cyberattack or other forms of sabotage. Jose Luis Calama, a judge in Spain’s national court, initiated the investigation just before Sanchez’s press conference. Calama explained that the probe would focus on determining whether the power outage was the result of cyber sabotage, which, if confirmed, would be considered a terrorist act under Spain's laws. 

The judge also outlined that intelligence agencies and other relevant parties are required to submit their reports within a non-extendable 10-day period. These findings must clearly identify the cause of the outage, which caused significant disruption across several European countries. For now, Judge Calama has indicated that the possibility of cyber terrorism should not be ruled out as investigators continue their work.

On April 28, 2025, a massive and unprecedented power outage hit Spain, Portugal, and parts of southwestern France, plunging millions into darkness and causing widespread disruptions across the Iberian Peninsula.

The blackout began around 12:33 p.m. (GMT+2), affecting major cities like Madrid and Barcelona. Critical services were disrupted, including public transport systems such as metros and high-speed trains, leaving passengers stranded. Traffic lights went out, resulting in severe congestion that was managed manually by police and locals. Hospitals relied on backup generators, and businesses, including major retailers like Zara, either closed or operated without power. ATMs and electronic payment systems were down, forcing some stores to extend credit to regular customers or shut down completely.

The outage also caused significant disruptions to major events, such as the suspension of the Madrid Open tennis tournament. Airports faced delays, and oil refineries, including those operated by Moeve and Petronor, ceased operations.

By Naila Huseynova