Spain: The rare phenomenon that « knelt » the power grid

Chaos and panic caused by long blackout in Spain and Portugal. The unprecedented power outage on the Iberian peninsula – and part of France – caused scenes out of film.

The extent of the phenomenon has never happened again, the Spanish Red Electrica administrator in an unprecedented collapse of the electric grid that scattered panic, filled citizens’ insecurity and set alert throughout Europe.

The current fell throughout almost all over Spain and Portugal, causing traffic to the steady track, lanterns on the streets and affecting mobile networks and ATMs. As El Pais said, citizens formed huge queues outside the supermarkets, an image that the news media describes as a « pandemic scene ».

Spain’s nuclear power stations were declared in an emergency, according to Emergency Internal Plans (PEI) – due to the loss of external power supply. Faced with this unpredictable situation, reactors at stations in operation (Almaraz II, ASCó I and II, Vandellós II) automatically closed – according to their design – and their safety generators started and kept the stations in a safe condition.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska will sign the order to declare an emergency of emergency in the communities that have requested it: extremist, Andalusia, Madrid and Murcia.

Gradual restoration of electricity in Spain and Portugal

The Portuguese Electricity Distribution Company has announced that operations are underway to re -electrify the national system. Electricity gradually comes back to critical infrastructure. Portuguese media report that the gradual resumption of power supply to priority infrastructure, such as hospitals and airports, has begun.

Electricity gradually returns to the area of ​​Madrid. Several municipalities on the outskirts of the Spanish capital, including Majadahonda, Pozuelo, Las Rozas and Getafe, are beginning to recover the supply, according to Spanish media.

About 30,000 passengers had to be released from the Renfe Spanish Railway Trains because of today’s blackout

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez He addressed a profession for extensive power outages stating that there are no safe conclusions about the causes of the blackout.

« No scenario is excluded, » he said, stressing that « the causes are still being studied. » It’s better not to speculate, he added. He asked citizens to pay attention only to the news given through the « official channels ».

Sanchez said the hydroelectric power stations were operating again and expressed the belief that the supply would be restored « soon », without committing it.

He called on citizens to use their « responsibility » cell phones as the situation in telecommunications is critical. He assured that there are no public security problems, while stressing that payment systems and digital banking are operating normally.

The holidays were caused by « induced atmospheric vibrations » caused by air temperature fluctuations in Spain

The Spanish prime minister shortly before the National Security Council meeting spoke of a « strong oscillation » phenomenon in the European electricity system that caused the power outage across the Iberian peninsula and in parts of France. « Safety protocols have been implemented and the executive has declared a state of electricity crisis. There are three communities that have called for Civil Protection of Level Three: Andalusia, Extremadura and Madrid. The government is going to manage management, « he said.

According to the Portuguese Company of the Portuguese Electricity Network (REN), the blackout is probably due to a rare atmospheric phenomenon. Due to extreme changes in temperature inside Spain, abnormal oscillations were caused to the very high voltage lines (400 kV).

The Portuguese company explains that due to the complexity of the phenomenon and the need to balance electricity flows internationally, it is estimated that complete normalization of the network could take days.

« These oscillations have caused synchronization failures between electric systems, leading to successive disorders throughout the interconnected European network, » he says.

Spain Minister Oscar Putena said it is not possible for medium and long distance trains to come back to normal before Tuesday.

Thodoris Kolidas, after stressing that he is not expert makes extensive reference to the phenomenon. The « induced atmospheric vibration » created on the electricity lines (such as those of 400 kV) « is a phenomenon created on these very long cables, which are exposed to the air and atmospheric conditions. When there is a sharp and extreme change in temperature – for example, sharp waves of cold or heatwave – then strong upward or downstream air currents (thermal abnormalities) are created, « he says in his personal account in X.

« These thermal changes cause oscillations to the cables through two main mechanisms. Initially thermal expansion and contraction where the metal of the cables expands or contains sharply. Following are atmospheric oscillations where air density differences create local winds or currents that affect the lines, causing them to pulsate. This phenomenon is called induced atmospheric vibration and can lead to: vibration, oscillations on a large scale and even mechanical stresses that threaten the structural integrity of the lines. It is different from the usual « galloping » caused by ice and wind, « he notes.

There is no evidence that the interruption was caused by deliberate action

The risks pregnant for electric systems. High temperature fluctuations are known in the industry, but it is rare to cause scale problems created in Spain and Portugal on Monday.

« Due to the temperature fluctuation, the parameters change slightly, » said Taco Englaar, NEARA’s chief executive, software provider for utilities. « This creates an imbalance in frequency. »

Once the frequency falls below a certain level, electricity generators will be automatically disabled to avoid overloading the grid.

Englaar said that such a situation would be a « quite spectacular » awakening for all countries that should invest in resilience to climate risks.

At national level, and in two countries, I have never seen it in my career, « he said.

Alert and Greece

An extraordinary meeting was held at the Ministry of the Environment and Energy (RIS) after the generalized blah in the Iberian peninsula. The meeting, under the political leadership of the Ministry, was attended by senior executives of the Regulatory Authority of Waste, Energy and Water (RAAE), the managers of the electric networks (ADMIE and DEDDIE) as well as the National Authority of Cyber ​​Security. The long blackout in electricity is reportedly not affected by the Greek grid.

As is well known, ADMIE, responsible for the safety of the electrical system, has already been put on alert last Saturday to fully restrict the electricity infusion of renewable energy stations (RES) connected to the DEDDIE distribution network and is not controlled by DEDDIE. In a statement he had warned of the need for increased alert during today’s day (28.04.2025), while today he published a renewed warning based on updated estimates confirming the need for increased alert for April 29.

This is because the overproduction of RES now in the spring when sunshine is high and the production of photovoltaic extremes extremely high, coupled with relatively low energy demand at this time, creates production – demand imbalance.

ADMIE National Energy Control Center in Agios Stefanos

It is no coincidence that the Spanish electric system before the long break today operated with 82 % of RES, of which more than 60 % photovoltaic and the rest of the wind and sunshine.