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4mo ago

Spain Pinpoints Substation Failures as Origin of Iberian Blackout

Investigations continue into the April 28 grid collapse that left millions without power, with overvoltage and low grid inertia emerging as likely factors.

Much of Spain and Portugal ground to a halt on April 28
Employees stand inside a supermarket without lights in Burgos on April 28, 2025, during a massive power cut affecting the entire Iberian peninsula and the south of France. A “massive” power cut late on April 28, 2025, affected the whole of the Iberian peninsula and part of France, according to Portuguese electricity network operator REN. (Cesar Manso/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)
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Overview

  • The April 28 blackout across Spain and Portugal began with sudden power losses at substations in Granada, Badajoz, and Seville, causing a 2.2 GW generation drop.
  • Authorities have ruled out cyberattacks, supply-demand imbalances, or insufficient grid capacity as causes of the outage.
  • A 2023 report by Spain’s competition watchdog warned of high grid voltages and recommended urgent measures to prevent system failures.
  • Experts increasingly believe overvoltage and low grid inertia linked to renewable energy reliance may have triggered the cascading disconnections.
  • Multiple investigations, including by judicial, regulatory, and EU bodies, are underway, but the definitive cause remains undetermined.