Particle.news
Download on the App Store
15 ARTICLES
·
2w ago

Spain Blames Overvoltage for April Blackout and Pledges Grid Upgrades

Investigators attribute the cascade of grid shutdowns to planning lapses and improper plant disconnections, recommending condensers, inverters and battery storage to shore up the peninsula’s weak link with Europe’s power network.

Der historische Stromausfall Ende April auf der gesamten Iberischen Halbinsel war laut eines Untersuchungsberichts Folge einer zu hohen Spannung im Netz. (Archivfoto)
Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • On June 17, Spain’s final report concluded that an overvoltage spike on April 28 triggered protective trips across the Iberian grid, leaving Spain, Portugal and parts of France and Morocco in darkness.
  • The investigation cited insufficient planning by operator Red Eléctrica and improper shutdowns by conventional power plants as key factors that amplified the voltage surge.
  • Authorities found no signs of a cyberattack and identified a shortfall in voltage regulation capacity as the root technical failure.
  • Transportation systems halted and communications were disrupted for millions of residents, underscoring the peninsula’s vulnerability from its limited interconnection with the European grid.
  • Madrid plans to invest in synchronous condensers, intelligent inverters and large-scale battery storage to strengthen grid stability and resilience.