What Happened?
On April 28, at 12:33 local time in Spain (11:33 in Portugal), a sudden loss of 15 gigawatts occurred in the electrical system, equivalent to 60% of Spain’s consumption. This massive power outage affected tens of millions of people across the Iberian Peninsula, including some towns in French Basque Country. The Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla remained unaffected due to their independent or limited connection to the peninsular grid.
For several hours, millions were left without electricity, internet, and mobile phone services. Major cities experienced severe traffic jams due to non-functioning traffic lights. Transportation services were also affected, with trains and metros halting and over 35,000 passengers stranded in Spain. Air traffic faced minor disruptions.
Why Was It Difficult to Restore Service?
While France saw near-immediate restoration, Spain and Portugal faced a slower recovery. In some instances, households went without power for up to 20 hours. The Red Eléctrica de España (REE) explained that the collapse originated from a significant imbalance in power flows and an unexpectedly large generation loss, causing the Iberian Peninsula’s disconnection from the European electricity system. This complication further delayed recovery.
The limited interconnection of the Iberian Peninsula with the rest of Europe and insufficient energy storage capacity exacerbated the situation. Although Spain received electricity support from France and Morocco, the transfers were insufficient for a quicker restoration.
Possible Origin
The causes of the blackout remain unclear. The Spanish government has urged against speculation and announced the formation of an investigation commission. One hypothesis, a cyberattack, was considered but REE reported no system intrusions. Anomalous weather phenomena were also dismissed after a false social media rumor linked the outage to atmospheric causes.
To advance the investigation, Spanish and Portuguese energy ministers Sara Aagesen and María da Graça Carvalho agreed to establish a joint monitoring group. Both emphasized the importance of gathering and sharing all available information to identify the incident’s origin and implement corrective measures.
Human Consequences
Though national authorities have not officially confirmed a death toll, regional emergency services in Galicia reported the deaths of three elderly individuals in Taboadela. The victims were using a borrowed generator to keep an oxygen machine running and are suspected to have died from carbon monoxide inhalation.
Regional media also reported a woman’s death in an allegedly candle-caused fire during the blackout.
What’s Next?
Spanish and Portuguese authorities will reconvene next week via videoconference to continue their joint analysis. Meanwhile, energy experts and grid managers stress the need to collect all data before drawing conclusions.
According to energy officials, the event was a “very complex” and unprecedented phenomenon that may take time to fully analyze. Meanwhile, tens of millions await answers regarding one of the most significant power outages in Western Europe’s recent history.
Key Questions and Answers
- What happened during the power outage? A sudden loss of 15 gigawatts occurred in Spain’s electrical system, affecting tens of millions and causing widespread disruptions in both Spain and Portugal.
- Why was it difficult to restore service? The collapse originated from a significant power flow imbalance and unexpected generation loss, disconnecting the Iberian Peninsula from Europe’s electricity system. Limited interconnection and insufficient energy storage further complicated recovery.
- What are the possible causes of the blackout? The exact cause remains unclear, with hypotheses including a cyberattack and anomalous weather phenomena. However, no intrusions or atmospheric causes have been confirmed.
- What were the human consequences of the blackout? Three elderly individuals died in Galicia due to suspected carbon monoxide poisoning from a borrowed generator, and a woman died in an alleged candle-caused fire during the blackout.
- What’s next in the investigation? Spanish and Portuguese authorities will continue their joint analysis via videoconference, aiming to collect all relevant data before drawing conclusions.
