Author: Dr. Nenad Končar, M.Sc.Eng.
Date: May 2, 2025
After the historic power grid failure that affected almost the entire Iberian Peninsula on April 28, the president of the Spanish transmission system operator, Red Eléctrica, Beatriz Corredor, addressed the public with a message: “It won't happen again.”
It was a statement that, understandably, was intended to instill confidence in the system and its experts. But how can we interpret this statement from a technical perspective?
Rapid Response – A Reason for Praise
Red Eléctrica indeed demonstrated a high level of operational readiness. By 4 a.m. the following day, 100% of substations were back online.
This is an exceptional technical and organizational achievement and should not be underestimated.
In complex and interconnected power systems, recovery speed is crucial — and Spain passed that test.
But What Do We Actually Know About the Cause?
In the same address, the REE president emphasized that the cause of the failure has not yet been determined.
If we do not know exactly what caused the cascading outage, then — with due respect — the statement “it won’t happen again” is more of an expression of hope than a fact-based assurance.
As one of the world’s leading experts on grid stability once said: “Zero risk does not exist.”
The Role of Oscillations and Reduced Inertia
Data released by independent grid monitors show that voltage oscillations of increasing amplitude occurred in the hours leading up to the outage.
This is often a sign of declining grid inertia — the physical stability provided by large synchronous generators.
As Europe transitions to renewable energy, that natural stability decreases, and the need for active regulation increases.
Can We Do More?
Yes. Instead of relying solely on hope, the technical community increasingly advocates for:
“It Won’t Happen Again” with Proven Technical Solutions
Long-term grid security is based on investments in technologies that can respond quickly, flexibly, and predictably.
The statement “it won’t happen again” will best be validated if it is accompanied by concrete measures.
Because the future of the grid cannot be secured by statements — but it can be secured by technology.
From System Restart to Long-Term Resilience – Lessons and Solutions After April 28
Author: Dr. Nenad Končar, M.Sc.Eng.
Date: May 2, 2025
What We Know – And What We (Still) Don’t Know
Three days after the largest power grid collapse in the history of the Iberian Peninsula, the causes are still not officially confirmed. However, reactions have already started:
What Actually Happened?
In just a few seconds, 15 GW "disappeared" from the grid.
Consequences:
How Was Spain “Reignited”?
The power return process took 6 to 10 hours – some sources say even longer.
Experts from Euronews and DW explained that it involved a black-start procedure, a complex process without which the recovery would have taken days.
Where microgrids and battery backups operated – everything worked seamlessly.
Solution: Decentralized Resilience Through Batteries
All relevant sources, from Bloomberg analysts to Grid Engineering associations, agree on one thing:
Strong battery storage systems are key to future stability.
Why?
What Does Adriadiesel Offer?
As one of the leading regional providers of battery storage systems, we offer:
What’s Next?
Spain may eventually reveal the cause.
But Europe must answer how to prevent consequences next time.
The key question is no longer what went wrong but what was not ready.
Contact
Adriadiesel collaborates with utilities, cities, and private operators:
The energy of the future is not just green – it must be resilient.
Time for smart systems before another blackout strikes.
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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:
Beyond technical error: Societal vulnerability in a power outage
In just a few hours, there were:
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:
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:
Contact
Adriadiesel works with:
Together, we can ensure that the next blackout is not a collapse – but just another challenge already solved.