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.

It is rare to have such a widespread outage across the Iberian Peninsula, with a combined population of about 60 million people.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The blackout that engulfed the Iberian Peninsula on Monday was chaotic and stressful for many. But it had a silver lining: People were forced away from their screens and into the “real” world, connecting with the present and one another. Some Spaniards and Portuguese embraced their day without power.