Else Beekman
A third grid failure has been identified just 19 seconds before the nationwide blackout on 28 April, government sources have confirmed. The revelation intensifies scrutiny of the incident, which caused widespread disruption and is now the focus of a multi-agency investigation.
Spain’s third deputy prime minister and minister for the Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, shared the new findings in an interview on RTVE this morning. According to Aagesen, the disturbance occurred in southern Spain. These preceded two other incidents already known to have taken place in the southwest.
“When we zoomed in, we didn’t just analyse the five seconds covering the two previously known disruptions provided by Red Eléctrica [REE],” said Aagesen. “We examined the minutes leading up to the blackout and found another generation loss 19 seconds earlier. That makes three separate disturbances.”
While the cause of the blackout remains under investigation, Aagesen emphasised the need for caution and accuracy in reporting findings. “We still have many unknowns. There is great public interest, and we share it, but our priority is to deliver rigorous, evidence-based information,” she said.
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The minister stated there is no clear evidence of failure in any particular plant or installation. Instead, she outlined a timeline of disruptions: the first in the south, followed by two more in the southwest, with the third occurring just 1.3 seconds before the system collapse.
Aelec demands full access and participation
The Spanish electricity association Aelec, which includes Endesa, Iberdrola, and EDP España, has called for full participation in the investigation committee, arguing that access to REE’s system data is essential to fully understand the incident.
In a statement, Aelec president Marina Serrano affirmed the industry’s willingness to collaborate. However, she insisted that transparency must be mutual, particularly from REE, the system operator.
“To ensure impartiality and avoid conflicts of interest, Aelec and its members must also participate directly in the investigation,” said Serrano. She highlighted that REE has access to complete system data, while energy firms only receive selected information despite complying with data requests diligently.
Aelec is urging the government to allow generation and distribution agents on the committee and have full access to the relevant incident data.
Committee composition and next steps
The investigative committee includes representatives from various government departments. These include the Office of the Prime Minister (via the Department of National Security), Defence, Interior, and Digital Transformation. It is supported by institutions such as the National Intelligence Centre and the Cyber Coordination Office. Furthermore, the National Cybersecurity Institute, the Nuclear Safety Council, and the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) will take part.
The government has also signalled it may include independent experts and private-sector representatives. Herewith, they want to enhance the quality and depth of the analysis.
Aagesen is due to hold a virtual meeting today with France’s Minister for Industry and Energy, Marc Ferracci. Additionally, she will chair the committee’s third session. She reiterated the strategic importance of reinforcing Spain’s energy interconnections with the rest of Europe, currently below 3%, far short of the EU’s 10% target.
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