Unknown to the Spanish public at the time, Spain’s power outage exceeded the limits of the broader European system which caused the Spanish grids to be disconnected, which in turn led to the collapse of Spain’s entire energy network.
Despite the ongoing chaos, the Spanish government made no comment for the first six hours of the blackout, and when Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez finally gave an official statement, he left Spain with more questions than answers. All the Prime Minister could confirm was that no hypothesis was ruled out, but the cause of the initial blackout remained unknown.
The chaotic and mysterious darkness Spain recently experienced serves as an excellent example of the risks and dangers of a full transition to green electrification. An ongoing debate in Spain has been the complete divestment from nuclear power, fully supported by the current left-wing Spanish government. Although the public is divided on the issue, with a slight majority supporting the continual use of nuclear energy, the Spanish government has called for a complete phase-out of nuclear power by 2035. The government has largely ignored public opinion and has remained vocal in its support for the gradual closure of nuclear power plants in the name of renewable energy.
This episode was also a useful lesson on the indispensability of cash. Due to the blackout, bank card terminals were rendered completely useless with cash purchases remaining the only means of purchase. This serves as a clear warning on the dangers of a complete switch to digital payment and abandonment of cash. Although many governments in the EU, including Spain’s, are in favor of digitalization for the sake of simplicity and efficiency, the question remains: in the case of a blackout like Spain’s, what is the use of the digital euro?
These events serve as a powerful reminder that while electrification and digitalization offer unprecedented levels of convenience, resilience and reliability must not be sacrificed at the altar of progress.
If there is one silver-lining of the blackouts, it is that they have made clear the vulnerabilities that innovation and blind faith in technology often overlook. As Europe moves ambitiously towards green energy, the 2030 Agenda, and the transition to a digital currency, yesterday's chaos raises critical questions: can a fully digitalized, electrified society withstand the unpredictable crises of the world and are we truly prepared for the risks of abandoning traditional safeguards?
The green deal, pursued with ambition and pride, was born for a more sustainable future. Yet if we rush into a green transition prematurely, at a fast pace and without the conditions in place, we could suffer unexpected and dangerous consequences. While the answers to these questions, much like the origins of the Spanish blackout, remain unclear, it is clear that large parts of the EU are not ready to embark on this path without putting their infrastructure, citizens, and society at grave risks.
