Finance
Report on Spain's Nationwide Blackout Won't Assign Blame, Antitrust Chief Says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 17, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 17, 2026
Quick Summary
Spain’s CNMC will issue a report on the April 28, 2025 Iberian blackout without assigning blame, focusing instead on recommendations and technical capacity to manage the grid.
Report on Spain's nationwide blackout will not assign blame, antitrust chief says
Overview of the Iberian Peninsula Blackout and Regulatory Response
Details of the Blackout Incident
MADRID, March 17 (Reuters) - The upcoming report by Spain's antitrust and energy watchdog CNMC on the massive blackout that hit the Iberian Peninsula last year will not assign blame for the outage, the watchdog's chief said on Tuesday.
Spain and Portugal's widespread blackout on April 28 left large swathes of the two countries in the dark for up to 10 hours and sparked multiple investigations, including from the government and from the grid operator.
CNMC's Report and Recommendations
CNMC head Cani Fernandez told senators at a hearing that her agency's report would include recommendations and conclusions, adding that the regulatory and technical mechanisms at the CNMC's disposal were sufficient to manage the system adequately.
Ongoing Investigations and Possible Sanctions
The watchdog has a separate, ongoing investigation into whether all players involved in the operation of the power system fulfilled their obligations before, during and after the blackout, she said, which could lead to sanctions.
Fernandez had previously said that in case of "very serious infractions", fines could reach up to 60 million euros ($69 million).
Defense of CNMC's Regulatory Actions
Timeliness of Regulatory Changes
Fernandez defended the institution she leads, denying that it was too slow in approving regulatory changes - including those updating the rules establishing power grid voltage control obligations for power plants to expand the role played by renewables plants.
Statement from Cani Fernandez
"We have not committed any omission," she said.
Additional Information
($1 = 0.8687 euros)
(Reporting by Pietro Lombardi; Writing by David Latona; Editing by Aislinn Laing and Louise Heavens)
Key Takeaways
- •CNMC chief Cani Fernandez said the upcoming report will not pinpoint fault but will present conclusions and proposals, asserting that regulatory and technical tools are adequate.
- •The April 28 blackout—triggered by a voltage surge and planning and technical errors—caused a cascading failure that cut roughly 15 GW (60 %) of power across Spain and Portugal in seconds. Authorities ruled out cyber‑sabotage.(apnews.com)
- •In response, both countries are boosting grid resilience: Portugal plans major investments in grid upgrades, black‑start capacity, and critical infrastructure; Spain and ENTSO‑E investigations emphasize enhancing voltage control and system stability.(apnews.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Report on Spain's nationwide blackout won't assign blame, antitrust chief says
1Will Spain's CNMC report assign blame for the nationwide blackout?
No, the report will not assign blame but will instead provide recommendations and conclusions.
2When did the Iberian Peninsula blackout occur?
The widespread blackout in Spain and Portugal occurred on April 28 of the previous year.
3How long did the blackout last in Spain and Portugal?
The blackout left large areas of both countries without power for up to 10 hours.
4What will the CNMC report include?
The report will include recommendations, conclusions, and an assessment of regulatory and technical mechanisms.
5Who announced the focus of the CNMC's upcoming report?
Cani Fernandez, the head of CNMC, announced the report’s focus during a senate hearing.
