Overview

• On April 28, a fault in the Catalonia-France interconnector caused cascading grid failures, leaving Spain, Portugal, and parts of France without power for hours.
• Preliminary investigations ruled out a cyberattack, with experts pointing to grid inertia issues and technical imbalances exacerbated by high renewable energy output.
• Spain’s power grid had experienced multiple smaller disruptions in the week prior, raising questions about the system’s preparedness and resilience.
• The blackout highlighted the need for investments in grid-stabilizing technologies, energy storage, and infrastructure upgrades to handle the growing share of renewables.
• Political leaders, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, dismissed claims that renewable energy was to blame, as inquiries into the exact cause continue.