Spain recently experienced its largest blackout in history, affecting over 50 million people across the country and neighboring Portugal. The blackout occurred on April 28 around 12:33 p.m., leading to widespread disruptions in public transport, traffic, and communications. Shops and restaurants were forced to close as a result.
New information from the Spanish government reveals that there were more power generation issues leading up to the blackout than previously reported. Environmental Transition Minister Sara Aagesen announced that a third loss of power generation happened just 19 seconds before the blackout, adding to two earlier losses that occurred in a power plant in southwest Spain. The government is now working to identify the specific plants involved and understand why these failures occurred.
Initially, officials had linked the blackout to the loss of power at a plant in the southwest, followed closely by another loss shortly after. The government and Red Electrica, the company responsible for managing Spain’s electricity transmission grid, are currently investigating the causes. This process involves analyzing a large amount of data, which could take several months.
During the blackout, Spain was heavily relying on solar and wind energy, which some critics argue can make the grid more susceptible to failures. However, the government has defended the use of clean energy, stating it is incorrect to blame these sources for the blackout.
To aid the investigation, the government has requested cooperation from the main electricity generators in the country. These companies supply power to Red Electrica’s network and their input is seen as vital for understanding the incident.
As the investigation continues, the focus remains on preventing future outages and ensuring the reliability of the electricity supply in Spain.