Spain's Energy Battle: Unveiling the Power Outage Mystery

Spain faces backlash as a major power outage halts everyday life. Critics blame low investment and reliance on renewables. Prime Minister Sanchez orders an investigation amid accusations of concealment. Energy operators highlight the need for stable generation sources to complement solar and wind power.

Spain's national grid has denied solar power dependence as the cause for the country's worst blackout, while Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez faces increased scrutiny over the incident.

Life in Spain was significantly disrupted by a power outage that stalled trains, closed airports, and left citizens stranded in lifts. Critics accused the government of inadequate investment in an energy system heavily reliant on intermittent solar and wind power. Prime Minister Sanchez initiated a government investigation, seeking answers from energy companies contributing to the grid, though he has not ruled out a cyber attack.

Grid operator REE traced the outage to two losses of generation in southwestern Spain, though the root cause remains unidentified. Energy Minister Sara Aagesen demanded urgent data from power companies to understand the collapse, which experts attribute to a lack of synchronous power. Political adversaries accuse Sanchez of shielding REE, sparking calls for an independent probe.

Despite the push for renewables, the incident has highlighted risks associated with insufficient backstop power sources like gas and nuclear. Spain demands substantial investment to stabilize the grid as the country moves to achieve an 81% renewable energy target by 2030. Industry voices call for a balanced approach to energy transition, stressing the importance of reliable power sources.

(With inputs from agencies.)