A comprehensive investigation is currently underway to determine the root cause of the power outages that left millions in Spain and Portugal without electricity on Monday. This incident highlights significant implications for both nations and the broader European landscape.
Understanding the cause of the blackout
The blackout was attributed to a “very strong oscillation in the electrical network,” which caused Spain’s power system to disconnect from the European grid, leading to the collapse of the Iberian electricity network at 12:38 PM. Eduardo Prieto, the director of the Spanish transmission system operator Red Eléctrica, provided this explanation. Additionally, Portugal’s grid operator REN pointed to “extreme temperature variations” in Spain that produced unexpected fluctuations across high voltage lines, resulting in parts of the grid falling out of sync and triggering disturbances throughout the interconnected European network.
“We don’t have conclusive information on the causes, and I ask the public not to speculate,”
stated Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, emphasizing that the government is scrutinizing all potential factors contributing to the blackout.
The challenge of restoring power
Restoring electricity to both Spain and Portugal has proven to be a complex and time-consuming endeavor. Leonardo Meeus, a professor specializing in electricity at the European University Institute, explained that grid operators must adhere to a “technically very complicated” process to reinstate power. This restoration must be accomplished gradually, initially relying on special generators like hydroelectric pumps.
Support from neighboring countries has been instrumental in the restoration efforts, with the French grid operator RTE supplying 700 megawatts of electricity to Spain within hours of the outage. By late afternoon, power had been restored to most northern and southern regions of the Iberian Peninsula, aided by supplies from France and Morocco.
“The power systems are connected through ‘interconnectors’,” noted Solomon Brown, a professor specializing in energy systems at the University of Sheffield. “This means that there is interdependency between the networks, but also that they will have to be restarted separately.” He added that this process requires careful coordination to ensure that electricity production and consumption are balanced as the grid is gradually restored.
Implications for energy infrastructure
Spain and Portugal maintain tightly interconnected power systems with limited cross-border connections to France and the rest of the EU. The European Commission has long advocated for enhanced interconnections, arguing that this would bolster energy security and facilitate electricity flow across borders. While Madrid, Lisbon, and Paris have expressed commitment to progressing on this front, advancements have been slow.
Despite recent initiatives to establish a new connection in the Basque Country, the EU’s energy regulator association has cautioned that insufficient electricity transmission capacity remains an issue, despite legal mandates to address it. The potential benefits of increased connectivity during the blackout are still uncertain. According to Pratheeksha Ramdas, a senior power analyst at Rystad consultancy, enhanced connections could strengthen Spain’s ability to manage supply and demand; however, they could also risk propagating instability into neighboring systems.
Concerns about potential cyberattacks
Heightened speculation regarding a possible cyberattack swept across Spain, with citizens questioning whether malicious actions might have triggered the blackout. Recent geopolitical tensions involving Spain, particularly its stance on the conflict in Gaza and support for Ukraine, have made the country a potential target for cyber threats.
However, Teresa Ribera, the European Commission Executive Vice President, appeared to downplay these concerns, asserting that “there is nothing that allows us to say that there is any kind of sabotage or cyberattack.” While cyber threats have previously impacted energy infrastructures, such as the 2015 attack on Ukraine’s power grid, bringing down the electrical supply of two EU countries would require a considerably complex effort.
The role of renewable energy
Spain and Portugal are known for their leadership in renewable energy, with over 80 percent of their electricity sourced from renewables prior to the outage. Experts have suggested that the rapid expansion of wind and solar energy has increased pressure on the electricity grid, necessitating upgrades to handle the influx of intermittent renewable sources. Nevertheless, Meeus clarified that the recent blackout was not caused by renewable energy, as regulations have been implemented to prevent disconnection from the network in ways that could jeopardize system stability.
According to Daniel Muir, a senior analyst at S&P Global, the scale of the outage makes it unlikely that renewable energy volumes played a role. He noted that there was adequate conventional energy generation available prior to the incident, involving nuclear, hydro, cogeneration, and thermal technologies.