Why mitigation is no longer enough – it's time for systemic resilience
Author: Dr. Nenad Končar, M.Sc.Eng.
Date: May 2, 2025
Spain and Portugal seek the cause – but society seeks a solution
After nearly 60 million people were left without electricity in the historic blackout of April 28, 2025, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the two main priorities are:
- System restoration, and
- Identifying the cause.
However, global media reports highlight that this blackout was not just a technical anomaly – it was a stress test of society.
Beyond technical error: Societal vulnerability in a power outage
In just a few hours, there were:
- hospital and emergency service shutdowns without backup systems,
- mobile and internet backbone failures,
- chaos in traffic, retail, and public transportation,
- and worst of all – total collapse of information.
This was not just infrastructure failure – it was a breakdown of public trust in the state’s ability to provide basic functions.
Mitigation helps – but it’s not enough
Emergency response, backup generators, and aid from France and Morocco helped to soften the blow. But the question remains:
Why didn’t key nodes have their own resilience sources?
Why doesn’t every hospital, airport, data center, and civil protection HQ have a microgrid with battery backup + emergency diesel generator?
Solutions exist – but haven’t been implemented
Adriadiesel already offers systems that:
- use second-life batteries from EVs,
- deliver power in milliseconds during outages,
- provide independent operation for hours or days,
- automatically activate and balance frequency and voltage.
These systems are already used in airports, city hubs, and telecom centers – but they must become the norm, not the exception.
Political will must match technical availability
While governments focus on the cause, the industry must shift focus to resilience.
Power outages are not a question of if, but when – and every city and institution must have:
- a backup solution,
- a microgrid,
- a clear islanding protocol.
Contact
Adriadiesel works with:
- municipalities and counties,
- grid operators,
- critical infrastructure (healthcare, transport, IT).
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Together, we can ensure that the next blackout is not a collapse – but just another challenge already solved.