Spain's power almost fully restored, says grid operator.

Spain's power almost fully restored, says grid operator.

After a massive blackout on Monday, power supplies in Spain are gradually being restored, according to the Spanish grid operator, Red Electrica. By Monday evening, approximately 2 gigawatts of lost power had been restored, though the grid still faces challenges due to the loss of solar power as the sun sets. This solar power loss could extend the blackout if gas and nuclear plants cannot be connected to the grid [1].

The cause of the blackout remains unclear, but it was triggered by a phenomenon known as oscillation, where the grid frequency, normally stable around 50 hertz, rapidly fluctuated, leading to a cascading effect that caused the blackout. This incident highlights the fragility of power grids and the potential for rapid power swings to cause major disruptions [1].

Spain is at the forefront of the global energy transition, with ambitious goals to achieve national climate neutrality, 100% renewable energy in the electricity mix, and 97% renewable energy in the total energy mix by 2050. The country is focusing on the development of renewable energy sources like solar and wind, as well as renewable hydrogen, to meet these targets [2].

The blackout serves as a reminder of the need for robust grid management and the importance of diversifying energy sources. As Spain continues to invest in renewable energy and improve grid stability, it will be crucial to ensure that the electricity market remains flexible and that prices provide proper signals for investment in generation.

References:

[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-28/spain-power-grid-slowly-comes-back-online-as-sunset-nears

[2] https://www.iea.org/countries/spain?language=de