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Spain's Blackout Reveals Grid Vulnerabilities Amid Renewable Expansion

The April 28 outage across the Iberian Peninsula highlights the urgent need for grid stability measures as renewable energy reliance grows.

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Overview

  • The April 28 blackout affected Spain, Portugal, and parts of France, leaving millions without power for hours before restoration began the next day.
  • Investigations led by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez are ongoing, with no confirmed cause yet, though cyberattack has been ruled out.
  • Experts point to insufficient grid inertia from renewable sources like wind and solar, which accounted for over 60% of Spain's energy at the time of the outage.
  • Warnings from grid operator Red Eléctrica since 2020 about the risks of rapid renewable integration without infrastructure upgrades have resurfaced.
  • The incident has sparked broader concerns about grid resilience across Europe and the UK, with calls for accelerated investment in stability technologies and infrastructure.