Spanish Power Grid Operator Causes Massive Iberian Blackout

A massive blackout that struck the Iberian Peninsula in April was caused by multiple technical and planning failures, primarily due to a miscalculation by Spain's power grid operator Red Eléctrica de España (REE), which did not have enough thermal power stations active during peak hours. The surge in voltage led to a chain reaction and the collapse of the electricity system, affecting major cities including Madrid and Lisbon, and causing widespread disruptions such as gridlock, stranded commuters, and flight cancellations. The Spanish government investigation found that some power plants, legally required and financially incentivized to regulate grid voltage, failed to absorb the reactive power needed to stabilize the system. The blackout unfolded rapidly within seconds and was not caused by a cyberattack, though vulnerabilities to future attacks were noted. Environment Minister Sara Aagesen highlighted that the system lacked sufficient dynamic voltage control capacity and that some conventional power plants were improperly switched off or failed to fulfill their regulatory duties. The incident exposed significant gaps in grid management and coordination between the grid operator and power generation companies, leading to calls for accountability and improvements to prevent future failures.