What we know about the Iberia blackout
08 May 2025
A week after Spain and Portugal went pitch black, many questions about the largest outage in Europe in over two decades remain unanswered. Here's what we know so far:
What happened?
On Monday 28 April, the power grid serving the Iberian peninsula collapsed. At exactly 12.33, 15 gigawatts – 60% of the electricity demand at the time – vanished from the network. That led to a sudden and dramatic shortage that instantly shut down energy and communication services.
What caused it?
Network operator Red Eléctrica de España (REE) recounts three separate "incidents" just seconds before the blackout. They all appear to be related to insufficient power generation, and at least one of them seems to have occurred at a solar energy plant in southwestern Spain. Experts are now trying to understand why the network failed to make up for these short circuits, which is something that will take them at least three months.
Was it a cyberattack?
The Spanish government does not dismiss any scenarios, including a cyberattack. Causes reported early on, like an "unusual atmospheric event", have already been ruled out. The government's investigation will take up to six months to yield results.
Could this happen elsewhere in Europe?
Yes, but it is unlikely. Iberia is particularly vulnerable to these events due to its low level of interconnection to the rest of the European electricity grid, which steps up in case of shortages. Spain, the region's gateway to the continent, can only import 4.4% of the energy it produces – far below the 15% EU target for 2030.
 | Carlos Caselles |
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