Spain grid operator rules out cyberattack for blackout

Madrid: Spain s grid operator on Tuesday ruled out a cyberattack as the cause of a sweeping blackout that sparked chaos for millions of people across...

Madrid: Spain's grid operator on Tuesday ruled out a cyberattack as the cause of a sweeping blackout that sparked chaos for millions of people across the Iberian Peninsula the previous day.

Authorities were still trying to establish the cause of the crisis, with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pleading with people "not to speculate" and avoid spreading "misinformation".

"With the analysis that we have been able to carry out up to now, we can rule out a cybersecurity incident in the facilities" of national grid operator Red Electrica, its director of operations Eduardo Prieto told a news conference.

"There was no type of intrusion in Red Electrica's control systems that may have caused the incident," he added.

After the authorities worked tirelessly during the night to restore power progressively across Spain, Prieto said the electric system had been "normalised" and "working in a stable and correct way".