Millions of Spain and Portugal were left in the dark on Monday as unprecedented blackouts put much of the Iberian Peninsula under control.
For hours the lights went off, transport links stopped, communications networks were stopped, and many people wondered what was wrong.
Immediately after, the explanation was thin on the ground. Conspiracy theories have begun to emerge, including international sabotage, cyberattacks, and even renewable energy responsible for halts.
Officials said there is little precedent for this type of widespread electrical damage across the Iberian Peninsula. “There has never been a complete collapse of the system,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said of how the power grid lost 15 gigawatts, equivalent to 60% of national demand, in just five seconds.
Experts say proper investigation takes time and the cause remains uncertain. Spanish grid operator Red Electrical de Spaña (REE) spoke about “very powerful vibrations in the electrical networks” that led to the country’s disconnection from the wider European power system.
Meanwhile, Portuguese operator Len (redes Energyticus Nasionize) initially suggested a “rare atmospheric phenomenon” in Spain, which could have caused vibrations in high-voltage lines with extreme temperature fluctuations.
However, many experts are skeptical of these claims.
“I’m not familiar with the term,” said Dr. Jianzhong Wu, professor of multi-vector energy systems at Cardiff University. “This is not widely used or encountered frequently in power system engineering.
“‘Induced atmospheric vibrations’ can mean the abnormal physical movement of power lines caused by rapid and extreme changes in atmospheric conditions, such as temperature shifts and local weather events,” he explains.
“These vibrations can change the electrical properties of the transmission line, cause protective mechanisms designed to prevent damage, or lead to unexpected disconnections, or may refer to abnormal changes in power demand and production caused by rapid atmospheric shifts.”
Dr. Wu says there is not enough information available to perform an assessment of the cause.
One important aspect of this blackout is how it affects such a large area. The Spanish and Portuguese electric grids are closely linked not only to each other but also to the wider European systems. This interconnectivity usually provides resilience and allows us to share power across borders.
However, Dr. Jianzhong Wu, professor of multi-vector energy systems at Cardiff University, also said that it also means “in the event of a major synchronization failure, the turbulence can spread quickly.”
“In this case, the confusion appears to have spread rapidly throughout the Iberian Peninsula.”
Dr. David Breishau, professor of climate science and energy meteorology at Reading University, explained: “The power system is a network, which connects local chaos to a wider area… For something on the network – generators, power lines, or even large power users – suddenly disappearing, when supply imbalances occur, you will receive a shible off off shift. It can exacerbate the imbalance and cause a massive power outage – sometimes within seconds.”
As both Spain and Portugal are increasingly dependent on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, questions have been raised about their role in the outage. However, experts quickly dismissed this as the main cause.
“It’s unlikely that the nature and scale of the outages are caused by the amount of renewable energy,” Daniel Muir, senior European power analyst at S&P Global, told Politico.
“Nuclear, hydroelectric power, coi generation and thermal technology were all available on the event and there was enough traditional generation available to operators, everything was in the system,” he said.
“We are committed to providing a wide range of services,” said Keith Bell, professor of electronics and electrical engineering at Strathclyde University. “Events of this scale have occurred in many locations around the world over the years, with electricity systems using fossil fuels, nuclear, hydropower, or variable renewable energy.
There was also a lot of speculation asking if the suspension was the job of Cyber Saboters, which will launch a strike in Europe. However, there is no evidence to suggest that this is true.
The European Commission’s Vice President Teresa Rivera dismissed the possibility, saying, “There is nothing we can say can be said to be obstruction or cyberattacks.”
This is a rare event, but not an unlikely event. Experts warn that as global power increases and power systems change, more research is needed on the vulnerabilities of these systems.
“System operators and equipment owners are trying to ensure that no such major events occur, learn the lesson and share the lesson internationally once the survey is complete,” Dr. Bell said.
