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Spain Broadens Blackout Probe as CNMC Targets Renewable Energy Firms

By  |  May 17, 2026
renewable energy

Spain’s competition watchdog, the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC), has broadened its investigation into the nationwide blackout that struck the country on 28 April 2025, extending its scrutiny to the renewable energy sector after initially focusing on grid operators and conventional power providers.

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    The regulator recently opened sanctioning proceedings against Mercuria Solar over what it described as a “serious infraction” linked to voltage fluctuations detected in the months leading up to the blackout, according to a statement from the CNMC. Under Spain’s current regulatory framework, such violations can carry financial penalties of up to €6 million.

    The latest action brings the total number of investigations launched by the regulator since 17 April to 66, per a statement from the watchdog.

    Renewable energy operators have faced increased scrutiny since the blackout, with Red Eléctrica arguing that the rapid integration of renewable generation facilities into Spain’s national grid, as well as their sudden disconnections, may contribute to voltage instability.

    However, official reports released in the months following the outage have described the blackout as the result of multiple factors with no definitive single cause. Those same reports ruled out renewable energy sources as the direct trigger of the incident, according to a statement contained in the findings.

    Read more: Mergers Among Electricity Generators: Recent Enforcement and Emerging Trends

    Investigators did, however, identify shortcomings in voltage control systems. In response, the CNMC approved operating procedure 7.4 just one month after the blackout, a measure considered central to strengthening voltage management across the electricity network.

    The regulatory action comes amid growing tensions between Red Eléctrica and the CNMC. Many of the investigations opened so far involve major energy groups including Endesa, Iberdrola, Naturgy, and Red Eléctrica itself.

    This week, Red Eléctrica President Beatriz Corredor formally objected to the proceedings and accused the regulator of a “conflict of interest,” escalating an increasingly public dispute between the two sides.

    Red Eléctrica has repeatedly argued that the CNMC failed to update operating procedure 7.4 in time, creating what the company described as a regulatory gap. The procedure, in force since 2000, plays a critical role in maintaining voltage stability across the grid.

    CNMC Chair Cani Fernández has strongly rejected those claims, denying that the regulator had delayed the update and insisting that there were “sufficient” mechanisms in place to manage the voltage issues that preceded the electrical collapse, per a statement.

    Source: Surin English