Iberian exception: What caused the blackout in Spain and Portugal?

Spain is experiencing a massive power outage this Monday, April 28th, leaving millions of people without electricity in several cities, causing chaos in basic services, businesses, and transportation. Although authorities are beginning to clarify what happened, this incident inevitably brings to mind a recent chapter: the "Iberian exception" that President Pedro Sánchez managed to negotiate with the European Union to contain the price of electricity in the country.

The "Iberian exception" was a historic agreement signed in 2022, where Spain and Portugal secured special treatment within the European electricity market. While the rest of the countries remained subject to the brutal rise in gas and electricity prices following the war in Ukraine, the Iberian Peninsula was granted permission to artificially limit the price of gas used in electricity generation .

This mechanism allowed Spain to significantly lower electricity rates, at least temporarily, compared to other European countries that were paying record highs. For many, it was a political achievement by Pedro Sánchez that helped control inflation and protect millions of households.

So far, local and international media report that several major cities, including Madrid, Barcelona, ​​and Valencia, have experienced widespread power outages . Parts of Portugal have also been affected, suggesting the problem may lie in shared or interconnected infrastructure .

Initially, there was speculation that the blackout could have been caused by a cyberattack , but Spain's National Intelligence Center (CNI) soon denied this claim . Portugal's electricity authority eventually clarified that the cause was an atmospheric vibration that affected sensitive grid infrastructure, causing a cascading failure of several electrical services.

Although this explanation is reassuring, the scare brought to light the fragility of modern electrical systems .

Although today's blackout isn't directly related to the "Iberian exception," the energy context is once again on everyone's lips. The global energy crisis remains latent, and with systems increasingly interconnected and dependent on variable sources like renewables or natural gas, any outage could have a much greater impact .

Experts warn that, although the "Iberian exception" helped contain prices, it did not fundamentally resolve the structural vulnerabilities of the electricity system, either in Spain or in Europe. Technical failures, natural phenomena like today's, or external threats remain real risks.

This incident is a reminder of the importance of ensuring not only fair prices, but also the stability and security of the electricity supply . The "Iberian exception" was a temporary relief for people's pockets, but it cannot be the only strategy in a world where energy has become an increasingly fragile resource.

Spain is strongly committed to renewable energy, but the energy transition also requires strengthening grids, diversifying sources, and protecting infrastructure against threats and unforeseen events .

It remains to be seen whether this massive blackout will lead authorities to reconsider new exceptions or protection mechanisms , not only economic but also technical and security-related.