Switched On Inside the Blackout That Froze the Iberian Power Grid
Jul 23, 2025
Eva Gonzalez Isla, a senior associate from BNEF’s grids team, delves into the shocking Iberian blackout that paralyzed Spain and Portugal. She highlights the conflicting reports from authorities on voltage fluctuations as the main cause and the ensuing chaos. The discussion sheds light on the failures in grid management and the urgent need for improved infrastructure. Eva emphasizes the importance of integrating renewable energy sources and implementing new technologies to ensure a more resilient energy future.
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Iberian Blackout Impact Anecdote
- The April blackout in Spain and Portugal caused massive disruptions affecting transportation, communication, and essential services.
- Tom Rowlands-Rees and Eva Gonzalez Isla discuss the situation, highlighting the incident's broad impact on daily life.
Overvoltage Triggered Cascade
- The blackout was triggered by overvoltage causing power plants to disconnect in a cascading failure.
- Both the Spanish government and Red Electrica de España agree on overvoltage as root cause, despite disagreements in blame attribution.
Conflicting Blame on Blackout Cause
- Spanish government blamed Red Electrica for failing to provide sufficient voltage control resources.
- Red Electrica responded by blaming certain power plants for failing to deliver contracted voltage control.