Red Eléctrica Warns of Potential New Blackouts Amid Voltage Instabilities in Spain

On October 8, Red Eléctrica, the operator of Spain's electricity transmission system, issued a call for urgent measures to stabilize voltage fluctuations in the national grid to prevent the risk of new blackouts. They detected sharp voltage variations over the previous two weeks, which pose a serious threat to the stability and safety of the country’s power supply. The cause of these instabilities has been linked directly to the growing integration of renewable energy sources, which produce variable output depending on weather conditions, leading to challenges in maintaining grid stability.

In response, Red Eléctrica proposed four immediate changes related to programming processes, technical restrictions, secondary regulation, and voltage control. These proposals have been submitted to the Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC), which has launched a public consultation running until October 15 to gather input from sector companies. Experts conducting an investigation into the unprecedented blackout of April 28, which was triggered by a cascade of overvoltage following the sudden disconnection of renewable installations, have emphasized the critical need for improved voltage control. This blackout, considered the most severe in over 20 years, underscores the risks associated with the current electrical system’s handling of renewable energy variability.

While the threat of a repeat blackout is considered low and would require a rare conjunction of adverse events, the situation highlights the ongoing infrastructure challenges faced by Spain’s energy sector in balancing renewable integration with grid reliability. Authorities and industry experts are closely monitoring the situation and stressing that the solution lies in technological improvements rather than limiting renewable energy production.