Spain and the blackout that Austria is warning Europe about

The price of electricity in Spain and Portugal on Monday, May 2

The price of electricity in Spain and Portugal on Monday, May 2.

Spain and the blackout that Austria is warning Europe about

Almost two weeks ago, the Government of Austria announced the risk of a possible major blackout across Europe. They even went so far as to appeal to the entire population of the country to prepare themselves for a possible failure in the European energy supply. Such a failure would leave the entire country without electricity, internet, or heating the people were warned.

However, in Spain, it is assured that this would not be possible. Spain does not have a blackout risk, neither by capacity, by generation, nor by distribution. Our country’s capacity to generate electricity is 107 gigawatts (GW) per day.

In fact, the highest consumption in the history of Spain, before the 2008 stock market crash, was on December 17, 2007. On this date, consumers used 45 gigawatts, which is less than half of the available capacity that could be generated.

Not even during storm Filomena, when 42 gigawatts were consumed, was there any risk of shortages. The power plants generate twice what we are capable of consuming on any given day. This means there is no risk of a generation collapse, nor is there a risk of nuclear collapse, and if it does, 10 different energy sources are available to back it up every day.

Some electricity companies have threatened to close down the nuclear power plants. Even if they were to be turned off tomorrow – regardless of the fact that those responsible would go to jail, and then to ruin – we will still have hydropower, wind, photovoltaic, other renewables, combined turbines, and gas.

The diversification of energy that Spain has prevents the great blackout and differentiates us from Austria. They are a country that depends on the gas that Russia sells, and this country is trying to promote a gas pipeline that does not pass through Ukraine so as not to pay the toll it costs.

Spain is not in this situation, but Algeria injects gas into our country that enters seven regasification plants, and there are tankers that supply us. In addition, Spain has a legal obligation to keep 40 days of strategic gas reserve to generate electricity, as reported by cadenaser.com.

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Written by

Chris King

Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com

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