Spain Power Outage: Solar Flare Theory Debunked, Cyberattack Investigated?

A major power outage that brought Spain and Portugal to a standstill on April 28th sparked widespread speculation online. Initial claims pointed fingers at solar flare activity, but these theories have been debunked by space weather experts and official investigations. The Reuters Fact Check team has labeled these claims as misleading, emphasizing the lack of evidence linking the blackout to solar flares.

The power cuts caused significant disruptions, grounding planes, suspending hospital operations, and halting public transport. An April 28th post on X, received over 1.9 million views, fueling the solar flare narrative. However, the Space Weather Prediction Center confirmed no notable solar or geomagnetic activity during the relevant period.

Spain's High Court has launched a probe into the possibility of a cyberattack being the root cause of the outage, although Red Eléctrica, the entity managing Spain's electricity grid, has dismissed this possibility. Environmental Transition Minister Sara Aagesen disclosed that a third loss of power generation occurred 19 seconds before the blackout, adding to the complexity of the investigation.

The incident, which saw Spain lose 15 gigawatts of power, equivalent to 60% of its national demand, raises concerns about grid stability and resilience. Though the Economist stated that the event occurred in Apr 30th 2025, it should be noted that this analysis is based on the hypothetical future. While the exact cause remains under investigation, the blackout serves as a critical reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in modern power grids. The combination of these factors highlights the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures and grid resilience strategies.

The blackout prompted immediate cancellations of non-essential operations in hospitals, halted trains and metros, stranding 35,000 passengers, and caused mobile-phone networks and the internet to go dark. This unprecedented disruption underscores the critical importance of a stable and secure power supply in today's interconnected world.

As investigations continue to pinpoint the exact cause of the April 28th power outage, the debunking of the solar flare theory and the exploration of a potential cyberattack highlight the complex challenges facing modern infrastructure. What are your thoughts on the priorities for infrastructure security? Share your opinions in the comments below.

• Cybersecurity
• Red Eléctrica
• Spain

Related issues news

How long was Spain's power outage?

On April 28, Spain experienced a widespread power outage that left millions without electricity for nearly a full 24 hours.

When was the power outage in Spain?

More details have emerged surrounding Spain's massive blackout on April 28. According to an investigation, three separate power outages occurred before the widespread outage.

How long was the blackout in Europe?

On 28 April 2025, at 12:33 CEST (11:33 WEST; 10:33 UTC), a major power cut occurred across the Iberian Peninsula affecting mainland Portugal and Peninsular Spain, where electric power was interrupted for about ten hours in most of the Peninsula and longer in some areas.

What caused Portugal and Spain's power outage?

Red Electrica said it had identified two incidents of power generation loss, probably from solar plants, in southwestern Spain that caused instability in the electric system and led to a breakdown of its interconnection with France. The electrical system collapsed, affecting both the Spanish and Portuguese systems.

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