Research centres weather unprecedented blackout in Spain and Portugal

On Monday 28 April, 15 gigawatts ‘vanished’ from the Spanish electricity grid. This triggered one of the largest blackouts in the history of the Iberian Peninsula, with some regions disconnected for almost 24 hours. Although the incident caused chaos across the region with public transport coming to a standstill, businesses closed and flights cancelled, most research centres were able to secure scientific data and equipment. ‘The availability of an autonomous power supply system, as well as the preventive protection measures … restricted serious losses,’ explains Imma Escofet Miquel, managing director of ICIQ in Tarragona, Spain.