Wind energy did not cause the Iberian blackout

The final report on the “Iberian Blackout” concludes that multiple factors have caused the unique system failure that left parts of Spain and Portugal without electricity in April 2025. Wind energy was not among the root causes of the blackout.

Last week ENTSO-E, Europe’s Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, published its final report on the large-scale blackout that left parts of Spain and Portugal without electricity on the 28 April 2025. The report analyses the root causes of this “Iberian Blackout” and provides recommendations how to prevent similar situations from happening in the future.

What caused the Iberian Blackout?

The ENTSO‑E expert panel confirms that the Iberian Blackout was the result of an exceptional combination of system‑wide factors across the grid. While the immediate trigger was a rapid voltage rise, the report stresses that a range of operational and structural issues such as slow voltage‑control equipment in service allowed the situation to escalate. The findings underline the need for faster modernisation of grid operations and infrastructure.

The ENTSO-E report also concludes thatwind energy was not among the causes of the blackout. Immediately after the blackout, disinformation on social media had pointed towards wind energy as a potential cause. Quite the opposite is true: wind energy contributes to stabilising the Iberian power system – with innovation and hybridisation.

Renewables stabilising power prices in Spain and Portugal 

Both Portugal and Spain are leaders in wind energy. In Spain wind energy generates 25% of all electricity consumed, renewables combined account for 55%. In Portugal wind makes up 29% and renewables account for 75% of power demand. This makes both countries less dependent on imported fossil fuels.

Since the start of the Iran War, Spain has been among the European countries least hit by rising power prices. That’s because competitive, home-grown renewables are often setting the price of electricity in Spain. The result: Spain is getting through the current energy crisis much better than other European countries.

Ember reported that expensive natural gas has set the price of electricity in 15% of hours in 2026 so far in Spain, compared to 89% in Italy. This leaves Italy much more exposed to fossil fuel price swings. Italy’s power prices are expected to rise to more than €120/MWh for the second quarter of the year. Spain’s power prices, in turn, are expected to rise to just over €40/MWh.

How can Europe avoid future blackouts?

The ENTSO-E report contains a set of recommendations how to avoid similar outages in the future. The European wind industry is committed to engage in a constructive dialogue with Member States, ENTSO-E and other stakeholders to create a more resilient and reliable European power system. All regulatory adjustments should be evaluated against their operational risks as well as their practical and financial feasibility.