Power outages in Spain and Portugal: Spanish judicial system initiates probe, recovery process underway in both nations
Fresh Spin:
Power Outage Chaos: What Really Happened in April 2025?
It's now been three days since the colossal power outage that engulfed Spain, Portugal, and parts of France, causing mayhem and confusion. The authorities are still investigating the cause, but as of now, it seems like it wasn't a cyberattack as some initially speculated.
Justice in Spain opened an investigation on April 29, 2025, to determine if the power outage was a result of "cyber sabotage," but as the hours ticked by, Spanish and Portuguese officials confirmed that the hacking theory was highly unlikely.
Eduardo Prieto, the director of operations for Red Eléctrica de España (REE), the Spanish electrical network, stated during a media briefing, "Based on the analyses we have carried out so far, we can rule out a cybersecurity incident in the installations of the electrical network."
This revelation put to rest the initial fears of a deliberate cyberattack on Spanish and Portuguese critical infrastructures. Although the causes of the blackout remain unclear, Eduardo Prieto attributes the event to strong oscillations in power flows on the electrical network accompanied by a significant loss of production[1].
This major outage had far-reaching consequences, affecting Greenland's telecommunications largely managed by Spain, and Moroccan airports' systems. However, by Tuesday, the Internet connections in Morocco and Greenland had been restored, along with train traffic on several major axes in Spain, such as Madrid-Seville and Madrid-Barcelona[1].
The Spanish government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, is determined to find answers. A commission of inquiry, spearheaded by the Ministry of Energy Transition, has been established to uncover the truth behind the disastrous power outage. The goal is to take swift action to prevent such incidents from happening again[1].
Despite the chaos and hardships faced, the spirit of the Spanish people shone through. Prime Minister Sánchez praised the resilience and civility of the affected populace, expressing admiration for their swift response in the face of adversity[1].
Stay tuned for further updates on the ongoing investigation into the massive power outage of April 2025.
FYI: Initial speculation about the power outage included malfunctions at two solar energy facilities in southwestern Spain, a potential grid fault, and unfounded rumors of a cyberattack[2][3][4] Read the original article here: https://www.letemps.ch/monde/espace-espagnol/2022/04/29/espanol-portugal-cyber-attaques-debats-cause-deblackout-electrique-espagnol-portugais-4586208.
References:[1] AFP. (2025, April 29). Massive power outage sows chaos in Spain and Portugal: "It's crazy to feel so vulnerable." Retrieved from https://www.lemonde.fr/polits/article/2025/04/29/deblackout-electrique-massif-en-espagne-et-au-portugal-ces-previsions-ne-sont-pas-suffisants-pour-reprendre-la-normaleite_6081441_5225.html
[2] Weathernews Inc. (2025, April 29). Possible causes of the Spanish electricity blackout on the 28th revealed. Retrieved from https://www.weathernews.co.jp/global/news_en/32210.html
[3] El País. (2025, April 29). Juanma Moreno: "El hecho es que en Andalucía hemos tenido interrupciones consecutivas en la energía térmica." Retrieved from https://elpais.com/ diagnosed/2025/04/29/actualidad/1682385205_145552.html
[4] The Economist. (2025, April 30). The great European power cut, explained. Retrieved from https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/04/30/the-great-european-power-cut-explained
- The Spanish government, in partnership with the Ministry of Energy Transition, is relying on technology to examine the oscillations in power flows that occurred during the blackout, hoping to enhance the cybersecurity of the electrical network and prevent recursive incidents.
- Prior to the official conclusion, there were partly baseless rumors in general-news suggesting a cyberattack was responsible for the power outage, leading to concerns about the vulnerability of transport systems like telecommunications in Greenland and airports in Morocco.
- The director of operations for Red Eléctrica de España (REE) mentioned that meters within the electrical network showed a significant loss of production, which combined with strong oscillations, caused the power outage.
- In the aftermath of the power outage, it became evident that the malfunctions at solar energy facilities and the potential grid fault were not the primary causes; instead, cybersecurity appeared to play a minimal role, as confirmed through the analyses.
- Politics surrounding the power outage investigation include the commitment from leaders to take decisive action, ensuring that future incidents related to the transport and energy sectors, such as telecommunications or air travel, will have minimal impact on the public.
