Spain and Portugal Strive to Clarify Eastern Anonymous Electrical Breakdown

The government of Spain has instituted a dedicated committee aimed at unveiling the origin of the widespread blackout that nearly engulfed the entire nation, according to an announcement from Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Tuesday. Underscoring that no cause is dismissed, he vowed that the European Union supports the effort to prevent a recurrence of the disastrous power grid malfunction, which brought Spain and Portugal to a standstill until the lights re-emerged on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Sánchez, emphasizing a commitment to action, stated, 'We will implement every required step to ensure such an incident does not occur again,' speaking at a press briefing in Madrid shortly after power was restored.

Spain and Portugal experienced their most severe power disruption to date on Monday. The abrupt outage affected about 60 million residents and resulted in Spain's power generation dipping by nearly 15 gigawatts—around 60% of normal demand—within just five seconds after noon local time.

Red Eléctrica, Spain’s electricity distribution company, reported early Tuesday that it had resumed 99% power capability, after residents in major cities such as Madrid and Lisbon were plunged into darkness overnight.

Root Causes of the Iberian Blackout Remain Uncertain

Initial thoughts from Sánchez cited a disruption within Europe's broader grid, referred to as a 'strong oscillation,' but details remain unconfirmed and under scrutiny. Authorities have urged against speculative narratives, highlighting that all options remain on the table. Sánchez later ruled out nuclear power shortages, which account for 20% of Spain’s energy.

In Portugal, grid operator REN mentioned an atypical atmospheric event attributed to drastic temperature shifts as a possible cause, though this too lacks confirmation. Spain’s meteorological agency found no unusual meteorological anomalies.

Eduardo Prieto of Red Eléctrica remarked that the disruption was without precedent and extraordinary, yet the cause continues to elude authorities.

Although cyberattacks were initially dismissed as a cause by the power company, Sánchez verified that an inquiry into possible digital threats persists. Antonio Costa, a senior EU official, noted no cyberattack evidence, calling the incident one of Europe’s most profound disturbances in recent years.

The recent blackout is Europe’s second significant incident in a month, with a March substation fire in London also under investigation for potential causes.