Monday, 25 May 2026
Spain’s grid denies fault for blackout, vows record investment
MADRID – Redeia’s chair faced down critics and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to record investment at a highly charged shareholder meeting on Monday, following an April blackout that plunged much of Spain and Portugal into darkness, Reuters reported. Despite intense scrutiny and an unexpected vote on her removal, Beatriz Corredor retained the support of shareholders.
The widespread outage on April 28 sparked public criticism of Redeia, the national electricity grid operator. Corredor, however, once again shifted responsibility towards power producers for the incident. Together with CEO Roberto Garcia Merino, she outlined how Redeia managed energy sources, regulated voltage, and operated the critical interconnection with France both ahead of and during the blackout.
An official government review of the incident found Redeia at fault for miscalculating the correct energy mix, which limited the grid’s ability to handle a voltage spike—ultimately triggering the blackout. Major energy companies have also faulted Redeia’s management of the French power link.
Monday’s meeting saw shareholders asked, at the behest of one attendee, to vote unexpectedly on Corredor’s leadership. She emerged with renewed backing.
Garcia Merino dismissed the need to allocate reserves for potential blackout-related expenses, stressing that Redeia adhered strictly to regulations and established procedures. Still, Corredor conceded that the company’s reputation had taken a hit.
“A barrage of misinformation has increased public pressure and scrutiny on Redeia,” she said.
Corredor promised to stand by the company and its employees “in the face of unfounded and often severe accusations that threaten our reputation.”
Amid calls from energy firms, analysts, and politicians for greater investment in Spain’s electricity infrastructure, Corredor announced a bold strategic direction: “Our upcoming plan will deliver an unprecedented level of investment,” she stated, though specifics were not disclosed.
According to Garcia Merino, recent years have already seen rising investment levels, with spending set to exceed €1.4 billion ($1.6 billion) in 2025.