On 28 April, the largest blackout in Europe has occurred on the Iberian Peninsula. Within minutes, Spain, Portugal and confederate France sank into darkness, leading to paralysis of transport, paralyzing industrial infrastructure and billions of economical losses. Despite the unprecedented nature of the crash, the reaction of most political parties was amazingly passive.
This conservative-national group of VOX was the only 1 who powerfully demanded clarification, pushing for the subject to be included on the agenda of the European Parliament and openly accusing the EU institutions of the deficiency of supervision over the increasing instability of the energy system.
Next week a debate will be held in Strasbourg on "Resistance and the request to improve the interconnection of energy network infrastructure in the EU: the first conclusions of the blackout in the Iberian Peninsula". The VOX initiative was endorsed on 30 April by the EP Conference of Presidents, although another crucial political forces were silent on this issue. VOX accuses socialists and the European People's organization of "cinenic avoidance of responsibility" and suggests that blackout was the consequence of years of negligence and politicized personnel decisions in key energy infrastructure institutions.
According to Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, this is the most serious energy crisis in Europe in 20 years. In Spain alone, the blackout caused communication chaos, the cessation of mill work, immense losses in electronic commerce and breaks in the functioning of public institutions and hospitals. It is estimated that the losses resulting from the failure of electronic connections in financial transactions may have been over EUR 400 million and that the full cost may exceed 800 million. In Portugal, the meat manufacture reported million losses due to the breakdown of the cooling chain, the demolition of equipment and the request to dispose of goods.
Redeia, liable for the stableness of the Spanish energy network, was considered an epicentre of method failure. Teresa Ribera, erstwhile Minister of Environmental Transformation and now Vice-President of the European Commission, is at the forefront of criticism. In 2022, Ribera appointed Concepción Sánchez as the chief of operations of Redeia, who, according to method sources, was to play a key function in bringing to an accident. At the time of the blackout, Sánchez was on vacation, which further exacerbated the frustration of public opinion. Her deficiency of response, like the silence of Beatriz Corredor, president of Redei, fuels suspicions of trying to hide incompetence or negligence.
Ribery's successor at the Spanish Ministry, Sara Aagesen, is besides under pressure. Close political links between operators and the government cast a shadow on the transparency and independency of infrastructure companies. VOX called it a "political shield" protecting advanced officials related to PSOE in both Madrid and Brussels. organization representatives straight accused the European Commission of ideological blindness of the real risks arising from uncontrolled transition to RES without securing the system.
Blackout on 28 April besides raised questions about the European Union's willingness to deal with akin crises in the future. In a planet where more and more energy comes from renewable sources, the safety of the energy network becomes a strategical issue. Distribution of production, instability of RES production and limited network capacity may lead to further disruption in the future. Critics indicate that the deficiency of unchangeable base sources – specified as gas or atomic power plants – combined with a deficiency of energy retention makes the strategy more susceptible to abrupt overloads and cascade failures.
VOX underlines that blackout was partially the consequence of excessive integration of unstable sources specified as wind and solar farms, without adequate balance and reserves. Their representatives inform that without the revision of the Union's climate policy, akin incidents can become a norm alternatively than an exception. They request a revision of the Green Deal and a greater emphasis on energy safety alternatively of decarbonisation alone.
Blackouts have multidimensional effects. At economical level, they mean stopping production, breaking supply chains, losses in food manufacture and technology, and failure of investor confidence. Sectors specified as logistics, banking, wellness care and digital services are now dependent on continuous access to energy. For Spain and Portugal, airport, railway, metro and urban traffic management systems have been disrupted.
At social level, the effects are equally severe. Interruptions in access to information, panic among residents, failure of emergency services and problems with mobile communications and the net show how fragile modern society is in the face of a technological failure. In any hospitals patients had to be evacuated due to the fact that emergency units were incapable to keep full functionality of intensive care units.
Neither can intellectual effects be ignored. failure of security, uncertainty about the future, deficiency of assurance in the powers of the authorities — all of this can lead to social instability, especially in countries already affected by economical or political crises.
Blackouts besides ask questions about cybersecurity. Was the accident caused by human error, or was there sabotage or cyber attack? Although the method mistake in the management of the transmission network is presently dominant, the expanding number of incidents in Europe (including attacks on energy infrastructure in Germany, Sweden or the Czech Republic) makes these events a part of the wider hybrid threat.
The European Union has been talking for years about the request to integrate energy markets and better synchronisation of transmission networks. However, blackout in Spain shows that declarations do not go hand in hand with real investments. Old, overloaded transmission lines, deficiency of modern management systems and insufficient infrastructure automation make vulnerability to failures. In addition, many associate States conduct energy policy on their own without consulting their neighbours or sharing reserves.
The Strasbourg debate could be a turning point. VOX expects concrete responses and an action plan to avoid akin disasters in the future. Not only the future of the energy strategy is at stake, but besides citizens' assurance in EU and national institutions.
The management of critical infrastructure must not depend on political loyalty or staffing agreements. Full transparency, audits, clear procedures and individual work for decisions affecting the safety of millions of citizens are needed.
In the face of expanding threats, both natural and geopolitical, Europe must halt assuming that basic services will operate regardless of circumstances. Blackout of April 28 was a warning. Now the question is: did anyone truly hear it?
