Spanish Government Rules Out Cyberattack in Power Blackout; Iberdrola, Endesa, EDP Cite Voltage Fluctuations

The Spanish government has ruled out a cyberattack as the cause of the recent widespread power blackout. Energy Minister Sara Aagesen and officials from Red Eléctrica confirmed that investigations found no evidence of cyberattacks on the power generation control centers. Instead, the inquiry is focusing on technical issues such as faults in circuit breakers and a possible overvoltage event. Major electricity companies including Iberdrola, Endesa, and EDP have called for the investigation to also consider extreme and widespread voltage fluctuations that occurred in the days leading up to the blackout. Aagesen indicated that the blackout likely resulted from multiple factors rather than a single cause. The blackout, which also caused disruptions in rail services and telecommunications, has drawn political criticism towards Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government.