Morocco sent emergency power to Spain amid massive blackout

Morocco mobilized up to 38% of its electricity production to assist Spain after a massive blackout struck the Iberian Peninsula on Monday, Hespress reports.

At the request of Spain’s national grid operator, Red Eléctrica Española (REE), Morocco’s utility ONEE reportedly reactivated two undersea interconnection lines beneath the Strait of Gibraltar. These lines, initially shut due to the collapse of the Iberian network, allowed Morocco to transmit 519 megawatts of electricity back to Spain.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez thanked Morocco and France for their support.

The blackout, one of Europe’s worst in recent history, disrupted flights, metro systems, mobile networks, and ATMs across Spain and Portugal. Power was fully restored to over 6 million people by Monday night in Portugal and early Tuesday in Spain.

Two pro-Russian hacktivist groups, Dark Storm Team and NoName057, claimed responsibility on X. Spain’s cybersecurity agency denied a cyberattack, but the High Court is investigating.

REE officials cited a possible solar generator failure. However, authorities remain cautious. “We must not rush to conclusions,” Sánchez stated, vowing a full investigation into the five seconds that plunged millions into darkness.