Spain’s Environment Minister, Sara Aagesen, has cautioned against attributing the recent widespread blackout across the Iberian Peninsula to the country’s increasing reliance on renewable energy. The outage, which occurred on Monday, disrupted power supply across Spain and Portugal. Critics, particularly from opposition parties, have argued that the government’s emphasis on renewables has compromised grid stability.

Aagesen defended the current energy mix, noting that during the blackout, approximately 55% of electricity was generated from solar power, with wind, nuclear, and hydro each contributing around 10%. She emphasized that this combination has previously operated reliably under similar demand conditions. The minister announced a comprehensive audit to determine the exact cause of the blackout.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez echoed this sentiment, dismissing claims that renewable energy was to blame as unfounded. He has convened energy company leaders to assist in the investigation, focusing on the sudden loss of 15 gigawatts of power at 12:33 pm for five seconds—representing 60% of total usage at that time. Spain remains committed to its goal of achieving 81% renewable electricity generation by 2030, having reached 56% in the previous year.

Source: Carbon Brief