'No to the Blackout': The Group That Warned in 2023 About What Would Happen This Monday in Spain

24 hours after the major blackout that left Spain in darkness and plunged it into chaos, the country is slowly beginning to return to normal. With 99% of the supply guaranteed, it is time to start seeking explanations. Experts say it is too early to identify the origin of the collapse, and the government clings to an unforeseen and unpredictable incident to shake off responsibility.

As the hours pass, the negligence theory is gaining traction and disproves the thesis that it couldn't be foreseen. The "No to the Blackout" platform warned in September 2023 that what happened this Monday could occur. This puts President Pedro Sánchez's government in a difficult position.

This platform for the defense of electricity consumers warned a year and a half ago about the problem in Spain. "Either the government starts allowing and accelerating investments in the Spanish electrical grid, or it won't be able to respond to the expected increase in demand," they pointed out.

The platform opposed the socialist government's plans to intervene in the European electricity market, warning of its consequences. The government attempted a reform to shift from a marginalist market, governed by supply and demand, to an intervened market, governed by prices set by the government.

"This reform will make energy generators stop competing among themselves, as they will have a fixed remuneration, and no one will invest to cover demand peaks," they warned. The consequence, they said, "will be supply cuts and blackouts."

The Root of the Problem

"No to the Blackout" warned that "the intervened system doesn't guarantee supply" and that "the system change will mean blackouts." This platform predicted what has now happened with surprising accuracy. They foresaw that "food in the refrigerator will spoil" and "we will walk with fear through dark streets."

They pointed out that "intervening prices is a measure reminiscent of other times and other countries" and that "it ends with companies fleeing and shortages." Additionally, they highlighted something interesting:

"In the current system, the energy that is sold first is that produced by renewables. Spain can lead the market and become the EU's top energy exporter thanks to wind and solar power. Otherwise, with the intervened system, France will lead by exporting energy from its more than 50 nuclear plants."

It is striking that when these types of warnings appeared, the left accused the "far-right" and "fake news" of instilling fear. The government and Red Eléctrica firmly assured that there would be no blackout.