Panic in Spain as country faces fresh blackout fears | World | News
Alarm bells are ringing in Spain after a report revealed that the core causes of the April 28 nationwide blackout remain unresolved, according to quoted sources within the energy sector. Experts have warned Spain could face more electricity blackouts this summer unless underlying problems with grid stability are addressed.
The blackout, known as a “zero energy” event, affected much of the Iberian Peninsula and parts of southern France. Investigators have since identified serious imbalances in the power grid’s frequencies and inertia as central to the failure. Temporary measures have been introduced to stabilise the system, including increasing reliance on so-called synchronous generation from gas, hydro, and nuclear power plants. However, these solutions are considered unsustainable in the long term.
Industry sources told El Español that continued use of this strategy could distort electricity markets and lead to price hikes for households and businesses.
Concerns are growing in Spain as we enter the summer season, because power demand typically rises due to increased air conditioning use, while wind energy – a key contributor – tends to fall.
As a result, more gas-fired power is used, which can help stabilise the grid. However, experts have warned that in sunny midday hours, when solar panels dominate the energy mix, a lack of conventional generation could return Spain to the fragile conditions seen in April.
“If problems of inertia and frequency aren’t solved, especially frequency, which was the main cause of previous surges, we could see more blackouts,” one source told the newspaper.
Government officials are aware of the risks. Spain’s minister for the ecological transition, Sara Aagesen, confirmed in parliament last month that a major overvoltage was recorded in the national grid on the day of the April blackout. She said three generation failures occurred between 12.32 and 12.33pm, totalling a sudden loss of 2.2 gigawatts across Granada, Badajoz and Sevilla. This has been partially blamed on a mismatch between renewable generation and traditional grid requirements.
While Spain’s wind and solar sectors have expanded rapidly, they are often excluded from providing reactive power – the voltage-balancing force that keeps the grid stable.
Until a long-term solution is implemented, experts have warned that Spain’s electricity system remains vulnerable and that without a shift in regulation and planning, further blackouts may be unavoidable.
