By Lumine
LISBON / MADRID, On April 28, 2025, over 55 million people across Portugal and Spain were plunged into darkness during one of the largest blackouts in modern European history. The unprecedented grid failure has triggered a wave of debate over the risks of aggressive renewable energy policies and the lack of investment in infrastructure stability.
At 12:30 PM local time, a sudden drop of 15 gigawatts, roughly 60% of Spain’s power demand, caused a cascading failure across the Iberian power grid. The disruption brought transportation, communication, and critical services to a halt. Hospitals switched to emergency generators, and airport operations were suspended, affecting tens of thousands of travelers.
The Renewable Energy Debate
At the heart of the controversy is the liberal push for renewables, particularly solar and wind power, which made up more than 60% of the electricity mix at the time, 55% from solar alone.
Experts warn that renewable energy lacks the “inertia” found in traditional power plants, making the grid more vulnerable to frequency disturbances. The absence of robust backup systems, including battery storage and firm power sources like nuclear and gas, left the Iberian grid exposed and unprepared.
Political Repercussions
In Spain, opposition leaders slammed Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s energy strategy, accusing his government of prioritizing ideology over grid resilience. Environment Minister Sara Aagesen, however, defended Spain’s green policies, cautioning against scapegoating renewable energy for a complex systemic failure.
In Portugal, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro declared an energy crisis and pledged to request an EU audit of the national grid systems. He announced emergency measures to strengthen energy security, including expanding “black start” capabilities, systems that enable power plants to restart without external power.
The Iberian blackout exposes a critical flaw in the current trajectory of Europe’s energy transition: the failure to modernize grid infrastructure in step with renewable expansion.As Europe accelerates toward decarbonization, the incident serves as a stark warning: climate goals must be matched with technical readiness. Policymakers are now under pressure to find a balanced path forward, one that embraces clean energy innovation while ensuring reliability, resilience, and security.
