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Gulf Insider
08-07-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Lights Out, Europe: The Cost Of Brussels' Energy Fantasy
Spain's leading energy companies – Iberdrola, Endesa, and EDP – remain stunned. After the nationwide blackout that cut power across Spain on April 28, the government has yet to provide a clear explanation or take technical responsibility… The companies, represented by the employers' association Aelec, have denounced 'surprising omissions' in the official investigation. They demand that the extreme voltage spikes recorded in the days leading up to the collapse be included in the analysis. They have criticized the preliminary report from ENTSO-E—the European network of electricity operators—for claiming that 'the system was operating normally' just seconds before the failure. Meanwhile, severe voltage swings were recorded, going beyond safety limits and triggering automatic shutdowns of high-voltage substations and key refineries. This episode is far more than an isolated incident. It is a metaphor for the erratic direction taken by the European Union's energy policy. In the name of climate change, Brussels has embarked on a radical overhaul of its energy model driven not by technical or economic realities, but by an ideological agenda imposed by political and bureaucratic elites. What was marketed as a smooth transition toward renewable energy has turned into a forced green agenda, with no viable alternatives and little regard for its impact on competitiveness, system stability, or citizens' well-being. At the root of this drift lies the REPowerEU plan, launched after the start of the war in Ukraine with the stated aim of 'fully decoupling' Europe from Russian energy. What initially appeared to be a justified geostrategic measure quickly became, in the hands of the European Commission, a pretext to push through renewable energies at any cost. This led to a rushed and uneven transition, with citizens and businesses footing the bill. This leap into the void has destabilized key sectors such as agriculture, transport, and industry, forcing them to absorb rising costs without receiving real technological upgrades. Countries like Germany, which shut down their nuclear plants out of political conviction, have now had to reopen coal-fired stations in a contradictory reversal. Meanwhile, state propaganda continues to promote green energy self-sufficiency, while households face record electricity bills and companies lose competitiveness. The structural failures of the European power grid are becoming increasingly evident. The continental grid was designed for stable and predictable hydro, gas, and nuclear sources. The mass introduction of intermittent sources like wind and solar makes imbalances difficult to manage: without wind or sun, generation collapses; with too much, the grid becomes dangerously overloaded. On April 28th, the Iberian Peninsula experienced those consequences firsthand. Abnormal voltage levels were detected in several substations throughout the morning. To grasp the gravity: a 'voltage oscillation' involves a sudden and significant fluctuation in the grid's voltage, which can damage equipment, trigger automatic disconnections, or, in extreme cases, cause a total blackout. At the Lancha substation, voltage reached nearly 250 kV on a line rated for 220. Another line, rated at 400 kV, surpassed 470 kV just before the collapse. According to Aelec, these anomalies began as early as 10:00 a.m. While a sudden drop of 2,200 MW in generation has been cited as the trigger, the system is theoretically built to withstand a loss of up to 3,000 MW without shutting down. This was not a coincidental failure—it was a built-in weakness. Beyond technical and political issues, the forced energy transition takes a human toll. European households are paying more for electricity, hitting middle- and lower-income families especially hard. Electrification of transport, promoted without adequate foresight, is raising the cost of mobility due to a lack of reliable charging infrastructure. Farmers and truckers, already squeezed by unmanageable climate regulations, face growing expenses while being pressured to make investments they cannot afford. Moreover, blackouts are no minor issue: their impact ranges from multimillion-euro industrial losses to the paralysis of hospitals, schools, and transport networks. In Spain, the outage even cost five people their lives. An energy model that cannot ensure a steady supply threatens the economy and public safety. European industry, particularly in the central and southern parts of the continent, is already bearing the brunt. Unable to compete with American or Asian energy prices, many companies are relocating production or shutting down. Paradoxically, even sectors the green agenda promotes, such as electric vehicles, are faltering. Once-dominant car industries in Germany and France are struggling to stay afloat in an increasingly competitive global market. While Europe imposes ideological standards, China manufactures more, better, and cheaper. Deindustrialization is no longer a threat—it's a fact. Notably, some factions on the Left even embrace 'degrowth'—deliberate economic decline—as a desirable path. Worse still, despite all these sacrifices, Europe continues to import Russian energy—now via third countries—and remains vulnerable to geopolitical pressure. The promise of energy independence often rings hollow. The Green Deal has morphed from a promise of modernization into a political myth: a story no longer grounded in reality, propped up by propaganda that refuses to confront its contradictions. The public, increasingly aware of the real costs, is beginning to push back. The farmers' resistance in the Netherlands gave rise to a political party now part of the ruling coalition. In other countries, protests and citizen discontent are multiplying. And this is only the beginning. This very week, farmers returned to Brussels to protest the suffocating policies they face. An energy transition is not inherently harmful, but cannot be imposed dogmatically. It requires realism, technological pluralism, gradual implementation, and a willingness to adopt what works. Nuclear, hydro, and natural gas must be part of the energy mix while green technologies mature. Sustainability will not be achieved by denying physics or punishing citizens, but by integrating every available tool with a long-term vision. What happened in Spain is a symptom, not an accident. Europe's current energy model is not equipped to operate under the conditions imposed by Brussels. There is an urgent need to rethink energy policy—not through ideology, but through engineering, economics, and common sense. If the energy transition is to be our path forward, let it be pursued with caution, technological plurality, and respect for the system's real limitations. Europe cannot afford to stumble in the dark in the name of a green light; it still does not know how to switch on.
Reuters
13-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Iberdrola, Endesa propose review of Spain's nuclear phase-out calendar
MADRID, June 13 (Reuters) - Spain's energy companies Iberdrola ( opens new tab and Endesa ( opens new tab have sent a proposal to review the nuclear phase-out calendar, an Energy Ministry spokesperson told Reuters on Friday. The proposal was not endorsed by all the companies with stakes in Spain's nuclear fleet: Naturgy ( opens new tab and EDP ( opens new tab did not sign it, the spokesperson said. The proposal links the extension to a revision of the tax framework and, as such, isn't in line with the conditions set by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to open a discussion over the review, namely that it guarantees security of supply, safety and it doesn't weigh on taxpayers.
Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Canary Island hotspot plunged into blackout as disaster blamed on one thing
Around 50,000 people were left without electricity for hours this week after a blackout struck a popular Canary Island hotspot for the second time this year Chaos has erupted on a popular holiday destination after a huge blackout plunged the island into darkness. La Palma, part of the Spanish-owned Canary Islands, is one of the lesser-known hotspots of the archipelago. Last year, it attracted around 120,000 international and domestic visitors - which may seem a lot - but feels like a mere drop in the ocean compared to the seven million that flocked to Tenerife during the same period. Famed for its rugged volcanic landscape, rich wildlife, and clear skies that are perfect for stargazing, the island offers a more chilled-out vibe compared to its insatiably popular neighbours. Here, you won't have to rub shoulders with a complete stranger when sunbathing on the beach, or trying to get last-minute dinner reservations. But, on June 10 a significant power cut struck the island, leaving around 50,000 residents in the dark. Considering the island only has a population of around 84,000 people - this shows just how widespread the fault was. The blackout, which occurred around 5.30pm, was attributed to a turbine malfunction at the Los Guinchos power station. The Canary Islands authorities swiftly swung into action, launching an emergency Civil Protection plan. No injuries have been reported following the temporary power loss. However, local media says firefighters were called to assist people who were left stuck in elevators, while families were left to navigate life in the dark. The power cut comes shortly after a previous severe outage that sparked chaos last month (May 8), which impacted nearly 20,000 people. Island president Sergio Rodriguez voiced his frustration following the latest outage, criticising La Palma as an island 'which is not in the first world '. He urgently called for intervention from both Madrid and the regional government, stating: "The power station we've got is obsolete and slows down our development." But, by around 8.30pm, updates from the national grid operator, Redeia, indicated that power had been restored to about 30 per cent of those hit by the afternoon's electrical disruption, reports the Express. By the end of the night, Endesa, Spain's largest electricity company confirmed power had been fully restored. "The causes of the incident are being analysed," it added. The blackout follows a series of infrastructure problems that have wreaked havoc on the nation. Back in April, the Iberian peninsula was hit by a major power outage that is reported to have affected tens of millions of people. This incident is still being investigated by officials. According to the Telegraph, just a week later and thousands of railway passengers were left stranded after thieves stole copper cables from the high-speed train line connected Seville to Madrid. "Then Telefónica, a telecoms company in which the state has a 10 per cent stake, suffered a power cut for several hours that cut emergency service lines and the internet in parts of the country," the publication added.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Spain gradually restoring power after outage on Canaries' La Palma
MADRID (Reuters) -Spain's grid operator, Redeia, said on Tuesday it was gradually restoring power on La Palma after the Canary island suffered a blackout. The power cut on the archipelago's third-smallest island was caused by the failure of a generator at the Los Guinchos power plant in eastern La Palma, the regional government said in a statement, citing utility company Endesa. The outage follows a mass blackout across most of Spain and Portugal on April 28 that caused gridlock across cities and left thousands of people stranded on trains or stuck in elevators. The Canary blackout occurred at 5:30 p.m. (1630 GMT), RTVE reported. Redeia said it had reestablished 6.2 megawatts on La Palma by 7:10 p.m.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Massive power cut hits British holiday hotspot with 'entire Spanish island left without electricity'
A huge power outage has plunged a British holiday hotspot into complete darkness. The blackout began at around 5:30pm in La Palma following a generator failure, according to the electricity company Endesa, which reported an error in the generator at the Los Guinchos plant, in Breña Alta. Endesa claims it does not expect power to be fully restored in the short-term, leading the Canary Islands emergency 112 service to activate the Canary Islands Emergency Plan (PLATECA) in a state of 'alert'. 'The Canary Islands regional government has activated the Canary Islands emergency plan in response to the 'zero power' alert on La Palma,' the emergency services announced. The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, also took to social media to confirm he is following the situation. 'In coordination with the administrations of La Palma within the framework of the Canary Islands Emergency Plan that we activated this very afternoon following the registration of the energy blackout on the island and continuing the efforts to restore energy in the shortest possible time,' he wrote on X. According to local reports, firefighters are currently assisting people who are trapped in elevators, and there is no power coverage in several areas across La Palma. An estimated 50,289 users across the island have also been affected by the massive blackout. Following the sudden outage, the Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres - who stated that he was informed of the energy blackout after the meeting of the Territorial Council of Democratic Memory held in Zaragoza - indicated that the Government of Spain is aware of the evolution of the situation. 'Hoping that the energy is restored as soon as possible, I send all my support to the people of La Palma,' the minister said on X. La Palma's president Sergio Rodriguez also reacted to the failure by describing La Palma as an island 'which is not in the first world' and demanding measures from Madrid and the region's government. He said: 'The power station we've got is obsolete and slows down our development.' Reports around 8.30pm said electricity had been re-established to around 30 per cent of the customers affected by this afternoon's outage. La Palma is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, particularly diesel, for its electricity generation due to its isolated location and lack of interconnection with the mainland or other islands. It comes after a series of blackouts have hit the island in recent months. Santa Cruze de Palma, Los Llanos de Aridane and El Paso have all experienced recent, unrelated, power outages. The latest of these, on May 8, left the power out for hours and affected several of the eight municipalities in La Palma. Spain's Energy Minister Sara Aagesen today urged private electricity companies to speed up sharing information needed to identify the causes of the worst ever blackout to hit Spain and Portugal. More than a month after one of Europe's biggest electricity system collapses left around 60million people in the two countries without power, the cause has yet to be determined and the blame game has intensified. 'At the beginning, when we requested information, it arrived very quickly,' Aagesen told reporters from Nice, France, where she was attending a UN conference. 'Now we're in a situation where information arrives in dribs and drabs, much more slowly.' She acknowledged though that the information required was now more detailed and, at times, more complex. 'But I insist, I continue to call for this information to be delivered as soon as possible so we can identify the causes and implement the necessary measures,' she said. Spain's energy ministry is leading one of the probes looking into the April 28 events, which sent investigators from the country's cybersecurity and intelligence services to private energy companies' premises to gather information.
