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Police are reportedly investigating whether carbon monoxide from a faulty electricity generator played a role in their deaths, but the Civil Guard could not provide more details.

That was the question faced by millions of people on Monday across Spain and Portugal during the worst electricity blackout in their history.

Hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of losing hot water or heating when their old type of electricity meter goes out of action.

He said there was not a failure of coverage - meaning supply - and there was a relatively low demand for electricity that was quite normal in the days running up to the crisis.

The initial focus was on hydro-electric plants, in particular pumped-storage plants with reservoirs full at this time of year and able to produce electricity fast from a standing start.