Experts Warn UK, Greece on Power Cuts After Widespread Blackouts in Spain, Portugal

A massive blackout across Spain, Portugal, and parts of France exposed vulnerabilities in Europe's power grid, prompting states of emergency and investigations by local authorities. The blackout, which began with a sudden loss of 15GW in Spain's grid, disrupted essential services and raised concerns about supply security, with regions like the Canary Islands issuing alerts despite being largely unaffected due to their independent grid. Experts warn that such events highlight the urgent need for modernizing aging grid infrastructure, especially as renewable energy integration and extreme weather increase risks. Other European countries, including Greece and the UK, have responded by heightening alert levels and reviewing their own energy resilience, conducting emergency meetings and cutting renewable energy input to protect grid stability. The incident has led to calls for accelerated investment in grid upgrades to prevent similar large-scale outages as electricity demand grows. Authorities and analysts agree that while these blackouts are rare, the evolving energy landscape and climate challenges make grid modernization a pressing priority.