One year after Spain’s blackout, its shift to renewables and grid evolution power on
Summary
One year ago, Spain and much of Portugal experienced a large blackout caused by a series of failures in the electricity grid. Since then, Spain has continued to expand its use of renewable energy like solar power, and investigations showed the blackout was due to voltage problems, not because of renewable energy itself.Key Facts
- On April 28, 2025, Spain and Portugal had a major power outage affecting traffic lights, phone networks, fuel stations, and subway systems.
- Initial media reports blamed renewable energy for the blackout, but later reports cleared renewables of causing the issue.
- The blackout occurred due to a "perfect storm" of governance failures, especially related to voltage management on the grid.
- Spain has increased its solar power capacity, adding 13.8 gigawatts in 2025, surpassing the previous year’s 12.3 gigawatts.
- After the blackout, Spain used more gas-fired power plants temporarily to help stabilize the grid voltage.
- The grid operator has recently allowed renewable energy sources to help control grid voltage, a change made after the blackout.
- Experts highlight the need for better battery storage and technology to support grid stability as Spain moves away from fossil fuels.
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