Spain and Portugal scramble to restore electricity after a still-unexplained power outage

Officials in Spain and Portugal raced to restore electricity early Tuesday after a huge power outage that grounded flights, paralyzed metro systems, disrupted mobile communications and shut down ATMs.

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Before dawn, power had returned to several regions across Spain and Portugal as the nations reeled from the still-unexplained widespread blackout that had turned airports and train stations into campgrounds for stranded travelers.

By 6 a.m., the Spanish electricity operator, Red Eléctrica, said that more than 99% of energy demand had been restored. Monday night, many city residents, including in Spain’s capital of Madrid, went to sleep in total darkness.

The normally illuminated cathedral spires of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia Basilica became indistinguishable from the night sky. Streets remained deserted even in neighborhoods where lights flickered back on, as people stayed home after a day of chaos.

"We have a long night ahead," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said when he addressed the European nation late Monday. "We are working with the goal of having power restored to the entire country."