Spanish Prime Minister doubles down on net zero after blackout

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🗞️ Driving the news: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to its net-zero transition following a nationwide blackout on April 28, which also affected Portugal and parts of southern France
• Despite concerns from the national grid operator and renewed calls to extend nuclear energy, Sánchez rejected claims that renewables were to blame, calling out what he described as political opportunism by nuclear advocates

🔭 The context: Spain has one of Europe’s most ambitious energy transitions, with renewables generating 71% of the country’s electricity prior to the blackout — over half of which came from solar. The country plans to phase out nuclear energy entirely by 2035
• The April 28 blackout occurred in regions with dense solar infrastructure, but no conclusive link has been established
• The government is currently investigating the incident, including the possibility of a cyberattack, after collecting 756 million data points from the grid

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Sánchez’s defence of renewables underscores a critical tension in global climate policy: maintaining energy system reliability while scaling up intermittent renewable sources
• His commitment reinforces Spain’s stance that renewables, combined with storage and grid modernization, are sufficient for a carbon-neutral future
• It also highlights the geopolitical need to secure energy infrastructure against cyber threats in a decarbonising world

⏭️ What's next: Spain will continue its investigation into the blackout while upgrading its cybersecurity and critical infrastructure under a new £9 billion defence plan, with nearly a third allocated to digital resilience
• Political divisions persist over energy policy and military spending, raising questions about legislative cohesion ahead of future budgets
• A definitive technical report on the blackout cause is expected later this year

💬 One quote: “Renewables are not only the future; they are our only choice,” — Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told parliament

📈 One stat: Prior to the blackout, 71% of Spain’s electricity was generated from renewables — over half from solar power

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