Spanish Blackout Lessons One Year On: Analyst Reaction
From Switched On by Bloomberg
April 13, 2026 · 12 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the lessons learned from Spain's catastrophic blackout nearly a year ago, focusing on grid challenges and the role of renewables.
It’s been nearly a year since Spain’s catastrophic blackout and key questions remain. Post-mortem reports point to a complex chain reaction in the grid, with no single trigger and gaps in coordination between operators, regulators and generators. The findings expose deeper challenges: inconsistent voltage rules, rising operational complexity and a system evolving faster than its controls. Renewables were initially blamed for helping trigger the crisis, but they are fundamental to the Iberian grid and must be part of the solution. So what has Spain really learned, and how prepared are other power systems for the next shock? On today’s show, Kamala Schelling is joined by Eva Gonzalez Isla, a senior associate from BNEF’s grids team, to discuss her note: “Spain’s Blackout Reports Expose Voltage Safety Risks.” Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com Links to research notes from this episode: Spain’s Blackout Reports Expose Voltage Safety Risks - https://www.bnef.com/analyst-reactions/tcd1wrkjh6v700 See…
People in this episode
Host: Kamala Schelling
Guest: Eva Gonzalez Isla
Topics covered
- blackout
- energy grid
- renewable energy
- voltage safety
- power systems
- crisis management
Keywords
- Spain
- blackout
- energy
- renewables
- voltage safety
- BNEF
- grid coordination
- power systems
- crisis
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: BNEF, Bloomberg
Books & works: Spain’s Blackout Reports Expose Voltage Safety Risks
Places: Spain
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