The sweeping power outage that hit Spain and Portugal this week has raised questions about the electricity grid in a region not normally known for blackouts.

Microwaves, airfryers and some hobs and ovens all demand electricity. But on Monday food that does not require electricity to heat or prepare it were in demand. In supermarkets, shoppers formed long queues and panic-bought essentials - echoing scenes from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Red Eléctrica, Spain’s electricity grid operator, ruled out a cyberattack, human error or unusual weather. Experts say it could take weeks to determine the cause.