Spain has declared a state of emergency after a vast and sudden power outage plunged large swathes of the Iberian Peninsula into darkness — prompting fresh scrutiny of the country’s increasingly fragile green energy grid.
The blackout, which struck just after midday, impacted tens of millions across Spain, Portugal, parts of southern France, and Andorra. Major transport hubs were paralysed, mobile networks collapsed, and emergency services were overwhelmed as panic gripped cities from Barcelona to Lisbon.
Officials say the outage occurred when solar and wind power were providing more than 60 per cent of Spain’s electricity — part of a celebrated but now controversial shift toward renewable energy.
Power companies attributed the failure to ‘extreme temperature variations’ causing instability in the grid, despite temperatures being a relatively mild 22°C (68°F). Experts and critics alike have questioned the explanation, suggesting a combination of inadequate backup systems and overreliance on intermittent energy sources may be to blame.
“Spain’s green revolution is starting to show its cracks,” said one Madrid energy consultant. “The infrastructure wasn’t ready for full renewables — and now we’re seeing the cost.”
The Spanish government has deployed 30,000 police officers to maintain order, with disruptions expected to last for days. Investigations are also underway into whether a cyberattack may have played a role.
Just two weeks ago, Spain ran entirely on green energy for a day — hailed as a historic milestone. Today, that achievement is being re-evaluated amid the worst energy crisis in recent European memory.
Main Image: – SOLUCAR PS10 via Wikipedia
