Industry News

Spain Blackout

Update time : 2025-12-11 11:31:43

On April 28, 2025, the sudden and massive blackout that plunged Spain and Portugal into darkness disrupted daily life across the Iberian Peninsula, as within five seconds, the region lost approximately 15GW of power, accounting for about 60% of its electricity supply.

A sudden voltage spike and inadequate grid planning triggered this rapid chain reaction, leading to a series of power outages that ultimately overwhelmed the grid system. The massive blackout that swept through Spain and Portugal on April 28 not only plunged residents into darkness but also served as a wake-up call for grid operators worldwide.

On June 17, the Spanish government released an official investigation report on the incident, stating that the massive power outage that occurred on the Iberian Peninsula on April 28 was caused by a voltage surge that triggered a chain reaction, ultimately leading to the collapse of the power grid, and ruling out the possibility of a cyberattack.

The investigation report identified four stages of voltage runaway:
1, Pre-incident phase: Several days before the accident, voltage fluctuations had already occurred in the power grid. On the morning of the 28th, when the incident occurred, the voltage fluctuations were more severe than usual.
2, Phase 1: System Oscillation (12:00-12:30) An abnormal oscillation occurred in the system, and the operator took measures to buffer it according to the contingency plan, including strengthening the grid mesh structure and reducing power transmission through interconnection lines with France. While these measures alleviated the oscillation, a side effect was an increase in voltage levels.
3, Phase 2: Loss of power generation capacity (12:32:57-12:33:18) The voltage began to rise rapidly and continuously. Within five seconds, 15 GW of power generation (equivalent to 60% of all power generation) suddenly disappeared, and power generation facilities in many places successively experienced large-scale gradual grid disconnection.
4, Phase 3: System Collapse (12:33:18 - 12:33:30) The continuous rise in voltage triggered a chain reaction of overvoltage protection disconnection, and each disconnection exacerbated the voltage rise, creating a vicious cycle. At the same time, the system experienced a sudden drop in frequency, resulting in loss of synchronization with the French power grid and tripping of the European interconnection lines, ultimately causing a blackout across the entire peninsula.

The Spanish government has announced a series of measures to enhance grid stability and improve system voltage regulation capabilities, and to promote further interconnection and integration between the Iberian Peninsula grid and the European grid.

In conclusion, the Spanish blackout serves as a warning to all countries to prioritize the safety, stability, and resilience of their power systems, while also strengthening technological, managerial, and international cooperation.

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