On April 28th last year, almost a year ago, traffic lights, televisions, internet... stopped working, and many rediscovered radio transistors and candles. An unusual and unprecedented event. A country in darkness in the 21st century. It gives the impression that, in many cases, almost twelve months after such an unprecedented event, the political battle and the rush to accuse each other have taken precedence over the interest in clarifying what circumstances caused the great blackout.

A few days before the first anniversary of the electrical blackout on April 28th, new details about its possible causes continue to emerge. This Friday, the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) explained that it has initiated several sanctioning proceedings to determine the circumstances of the blackout. Thus, the regulatory body assures that, as a result of the investigations, "various indications of non-compliance" have been detected, some of which have been maintained for "prolonged periods of time," which could constitute administrative infractions.

When less than a month remains until the first anniversary of the massive power outage that left the Iberian Peninsula without electricity for hours, more recordings of communications between Red Eléctrica, the Spanish electricity system operator, and some companies are emerging, which confirm that months before the incident there were already problems in the electricity grid. At the same time, the conversations highlight the instability of the system. All this is inferred from the transcriptions of the audios (to which ARA has had access) that Popular Party senators have requested within the framework of the investigation commission in the Senate – where the PP has an absolute majority – which is investigating that incident. This commission, in fact, has been marked by tension between the popular senators and some witnesses, as was the case of the president of Red Eléctrica, Beatriz Corredor.

When less than a month remains until the first anniversary of the massive power outage that left the Iberian Peninsula without electricity for hours, more recordings of communications between Red Eléctrica, the Spanish electricity system operator, and some companies are emerging, which confirm that months before the incident there were already problems in the electricity grid. At the same time, the conversations highlight the instability of the system. All this is inferred from the transcriptions of the audios (to which ARA has had access) that Popular Party senators have requested within the framework of the investigation commission in the Senate – where the PP has an absolute majority – which is investigating that incident. This commission, in fact, has been marked by tension between the popular senators and some witnesses, as was the case of the president of Red Eléctrica, Beatriz Corredor.

The legal battle between Iberdrola and Redeia, the parent company of Red Eléctrica (REE), the system operator, over the massive blackout of April 28th of last year, has been reignited. A Madrid court has accepted the complaint for unfair competition filed by the electricity company chaired by Ignacio Sánchez Galán, alleging that Redeia, although not explicitly naming it, held it responsible for the blackout, according to reports. El País-Cinco Días And ARA has been able to confirm this.

When the power goes out, not only is the electricity supply interrupted, but the entire digital system that enables the flow of messages, calls, and communications is also affected. In Europe, more than 520 million people use mobile services daily, each line generates more than 50 GB of traffic per month, and 5G already exceeds 200 million active connections. All of this requires constant energy: approximately 0.12 kWh for every gigabyte transferred. The blackout of April 28, 2025, on the Iberian Peninsula was a clear example of what happens when this machine stops. The incident affected strategic points and tested the response capacity of media outlets, operators, and institutions, highlighting the critical role of infrastructure in emergency situations. Journalism in an exceptional situation

At RTVE, the power outage immediately activated emergency protocols to guarantee the continuity of public service, explains the network's operations director, Víctor Sánchez Espinosa. Broadcasting was concentrated on the main channels, the operation of critical equipment was ensured, and production was reorganized to adapt to the limitations imposed by the blackout. Simultaneously, newsrooms prioritized service-oriented reporting and live coverage, a return to the essence of journalism in critical situations.

]]>

The four major energy companies listed on the Ibex 35, Iberdrola, Endesa, Naturgy, and Repsol, have just presented their results for the first nine months of the year, that is, between January and September. And although themassive power outage of April 28 It has had an impact on their accounts, but in one way or another they have managed to navigate the effects of the blackout that plunged the Iberian Peninsula into darkness, to the point that three of them (Iberdrola, Endesa, and Naturgy) expect to close 2025 with record profits. However, the businesses of the four companies are not the same, although some have more in common, as is the case with Iberdrola and Endesa. Therefore, the underlying reasons for how they have managed to avoid the impact are also different.

]]>

The great total power blackout (blackout) recorded in Spain and Portugal on April 28 was a unique event in the world and was due to a "surge cascade" that began in the south of the state and spread throughout Spain and Portugal within minutes, according to the technical report published today by the European Network of Transmission System Operators. However, the report does not point to blame and makes it clear that "the problem here is not that there were renewables, but that we need generation that has voltage control."

]]>

The Spanish government has solved the mystery of the origin of the massive power outage that hit the Iberian Peninsula on April 28. Forty-nine days after the incident, the technical committee led by the Ministry for Ecological Transition has completed the report outlining the causes that left Spain and Portugal in the dark for hours.

]]>

More than a month after the massive power outage that affected the Iberian Peninsula, the mystery surrounding the incident is not the only one arising. Solving the puzzle of the blackout's cause has added a battle for transparency, but also the question of who will assume the expected multi-million-dollar claims for the power outage suffered by businesses and families for more than eight hours. These are two fronts that have only escalated in recent days.

]]>

The massive blackout of April 28th has not only put the spotlight on the Spanish electricity system, but also on the transformation that the state has been undergoing for some time, which has to do with the electricity mix, with much greater penetration of renewable energies and less participation of technologies such as gas plants, which runs parallel to the process of electrification of the economy, the activity of businesses, transport, and homes, thus reducing emissions.

]]>

The blackout on Monday, April 28, was a gray swan event. It was an unexpected event that made us aware of our enormous dependence on electricity, but it was on the radar as a possibility. The electricity grid operator itself, Red Eléctrica de España (REE), declared the blackout exceptional and completely extraordinary, but in February, in its parent company Redeia's annual report to the National Securities Market Commission, it had already warned investors that the high penetration of renewable energy (in 2024) in the grid would affect the electricity supply. According to REE, this was a probable risk in the short and medium term that would lead to an imbalance between generation and demand. Furthermore, in 2023, REE itself and the National Commission on Markets and Competition had already warned of a risk of a blackout due to overvoltage (with a greater energy flow than the transmission grid can handle). Furthermore, REE had indicated that it did not have sufficient tools to prevent grid tensions. Well, ruling out a cyberattack, this appears to be what happened on April 28th, shortly after 12:30 p.m., when photovoltaic plants were disconnected, causing the frequency to drop below 50 Hz and increasing voltage, destabilizing the grid. The firewalls didn't work, and France disconnected shortly after. The result was a "fuse trip," and 15 gigawatts of generation (approximately 60% of the electricity being consumed) were suddenly lost.

]]>

In addition to the potential compensation that citizens and companies may claim for the massive power outage on April 28, the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) could impose "multi-million-dollar" fines if it detects a serious or very serious violation at the root of the incident. This was warned by the organization's president, Cani Fernández, who announced that the agency has already begun investigating what happened that day that caused the Iberian Peninsula to be without power for hours. In fact, the day after the blackout, the Competition Commission announced that it was monitoring the events and was opening the door to "carrying out the relevant actions in accordance with the supervisory function entrusted to it."

]]>

Maru, 67, and her husband, Josep Manel, 68, had left home in the morning to go to the doctor. It was Monday, April 28, and the major blackout caught them leaving the hospital. They live in a nine-story penthouse in the Sant Andreu neighborhood, and Maru has been using an electric wheelchair since her accident in 2013. The elevator wasn't working, and they were forced to "walk around," eat something in a park, and wait. They waited until six in the evening, when they saw a Barcelona Fire Department vehicle and called for help. "Right at that moment, we were helping a person with reduced mobility get into their home," says Fire Department Corporal Yago Abad Galcerán.

]]>

Just over two weeks ago, Pedro Sánchez only planned to make an appearance in the Congress of Deputies in which to defend and outline the €10.471 billion defense plan to reach 2% of GDP that same year. Last Monday's massive power outage, however, has upended the Spanish government's plans, and Wednesday's debate has turned into an ideological battle surrounding the power cut. Still without definitive conclusions on the causes, the PP and Vox have taken the opportunity to attack the Spanish Prime Minister, demand resignations, and take up the banner of nuclear power. Those in the Moncloa are aware that the unknowns surrounding the blackout provide the right with material to launch a "strong offensive" against them, but they remain committed to avoiding speculation and assure that they "will withstand the pressure." "We are not going to rush to superficial or even self-serving conclusions," warned the Spanish Prime Minister, who offered no new information and asked for "time" to find out why the entire Iberian Peninsula was left without power.

]]>

The government has taken note of what went wrong on the day of the massive blackout and is already rolling up its sleeves to remedy it. At least that's what the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, argued this Tuesday in an appearance before the Catalan Parliament to review the outage. The president appeared in the Catalan parliament with a handful of announcements under his belt: a new, comprehensive building for the 112 emergency response center to coordinate emergency response, a plan to ensure essential services have 48 hours of autonomy if they lose power, and measures to strengthen the public communications network for security and emergency services. However, the appearance eventually turned to an energy debate, regarding the deployment of renewable energy and the maintenance of nuclear power plants, as part of the opposition is calling for their lifespans to be extended in the wake of the massive blackout.

]]>

Sergio Delgado, deputy director of Civil Protection programs, receives the ARA at the Operational Coordination Center of Catalonia (CECAT), in the Ministry of the Interior, from where he led the management of the great blackout last Monday.

]]>

This past week has arguably been one of the most difficult for the government in general, and especially for its president, Pedro Sánchez, in particular. Just look at the Socialist leader. in Monday's appearances and TuesdayBut the power supply was restored relatively quickly, within twenty-four hours of the disease and the tragedies it caused. In this other case, however, the problem is one of credibility. And very far-sighted—the power was suddenly cut off at 12:33:16 on Monday. A government official, because a reaction of this kind can leave a deep shadow of uncertainty. who has conducted an emergency surveytells us that the PSOE is not affected and remains ahead of the PP. We'll have to see the next barometer from this same organization to follow the case.

]]>

We are symbolic beings and we need objects on which to project the stories that give meaning to what we experience. That the battery-powered radio has become the symbol of resistance during Monday's blackout is a poetic blow that brings together all the debates about sovereignty, resilience, and interdependence. The mandatory strike is a fabulous reminder that energy infrastructure is also the foundation of digital and communication systems. Therefore, the dual transition—green and digital—must necessarily converge into a single one. However, the solutions for how to achieve this can follow multiple paths.

]]>

59.6% of Spaniards believe the information provided by the Spanish government during Monday's power outage was "insufficient." This is the data from the flash survey published this Saturday by the Center for Sociological Research (CIS) regarding the electricity crisis that left the entire Iberian Peninsula without power. Only 28.4% believe the information provided through official channels on Monday, when Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez appeared twice, was sufficient.

]]>