Statement from Spanish President, Pedro Sánchez
The President of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, addressed the ongoing power outages. He confirmed that electricity has been successfully restored in ten autonomous communities thanks to crucial support in restarting the energy supply from neighboring France and Morocco.
Looking ahead, the President expressed hope that hydroelectric power sources, bolstered by recent rainfall and reservoir levels, will play a key role in further stabilizing the national grid. However, he stated that the underlying cause of the widespread disruption remains under investigation, with no definitive information available at this time.
Measures taken by the Spanish government
In response to the crisis, the government has implemented a series of measures. Security forces are actively deployed nationwide, with military intervention authorized in the communities of Madrid, Extremadura, and Andalusia, following their requests for assistance. Essential services are being prioritized, with hospitals reported to be fully operational utilizing long-duration generator systems. Furthermore, provisions are in place to ensure continued home care for dependent individuals.
For safety and logistical reasons, air transport is being reduced by 20%. Significant disruption is affecting rail travel, with all medium and long-distance train services canceled. Authorities are working to redistribute trains and restore the network, but no long-distance services are expected to resume today, with an update anticipated tomorrow. Commuter rail services (cercanías) are predicted to recover more quickly.
The President reassured the public that critical financial infrastructure, including banking and market systems, continues to function normally.
He urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and to rely solely on official sources for information, cautioning against the spread of misinformation. Given the strain on the mobile network and the importance of conserving battery power, the public is asked to use phones responsibly, limiting calls to essential and brief communications, and to reserve emergency lines strictly for critical situations.
The President also indicated that he has been in communication with key stakeholders, including the King of Spain, the European Union, NATO, and the leaders of the opposition parties. A further meeting of the National Security Council has been scheduled for 1 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CEST) to continue addressing the unfolding situation.