Sara Aagesen, the Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Ecological Transition of Spain, has publicly refuted claims that the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) notified her department of potential blackout risks.

During an interview on Las mañanas de RNE, Aagesen clarified that the responsibility for network tension regulation falls outside the government's purview, stating, 'This is 100% the responsibility of the regulator,' referring specifically to the CNMC.

Aagesen's comments followed reports from Red Eléctrica de España and the CNMC that warned of the dangers of overvoltage, as published earlier this week.

The Minister elaborated that one document was a notification from the energy company to the regulator urging it to update protocols, while the CNMC acknowledged a problem in other documentation.

However, Aagesen contended that a more prompt response from the CNMC would have occurred if a 'high risk' had been identified.

'Under no circumstances did this Ministry receive a warning that something like what happened on April 28 could occur within our system,' Aagesen asserted, emphasizing the unexpected nature of the event.

In addressing the opposition's claims, Aagesen described the suggestion that renewable energy sources contributed to the blackouts as 'simplistic.' During a prior appearance at the Congress of Deputies to discuss the investigation into the causes of the outage, she argued against the hypothesis presented by the Popular Party, which cited poor electrical system design and an excess of renewable energy.

Aagesen stated, 'Pointing a finger at renewables is technically simple,' and noted that the overall energy mix around the time of the blackout had not significantly changed, even having an increased share of renewable energy.

She defended the successful integration of clean energy into the system, stating it was done 'with maximum guarantees.'

Concerning the ongoing investigation led by her Ministry, Aagesen expressed confidence in obtaining more details 'very soon,' aiming to submit a report to the European Union within the next three months.

On a related note, she confirmed that the analysis committee has ruled out a cyberattack on Red Eléctrica and is currently assessing evidence of hacking across more than 30 control centers nationwide.

Aagesen also highlighted the need for better electrical interconnections between the Spanish peninsula and the rest of Europe, deeming it 'fundamental for Europe as a whole.' She specifically mentioned progress on the interconnection project with France via the Bay of Biscay, optimistic that it would be completed in the coming years.

Additionally, she referred to the longstanding interconnections across the Pyrenees, expressing that France’s historical reluctance, based on cost-benefit analyses and concerns over natural heritage, has changed.

She noted that the European Union now views the interconnection between the Iberian Peninsula and Europe as a matter of collective importance, rather than just a bilateral issue.

Aagesen cited that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has labeled this interconnection as a 'priority,' aligning with Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen’s strategy for achieving 'affordable prices.'

In response to inquiries about whether an interconnection with France might create indirect dependence on nuclear energy, Aagesen pointed out that during the crisis, for over 280 days, France relied on Spain, with a constant export flow due to a French nuclear park that was non-operational for various reasons.

She portrayed interconnections as beneficial for the European system, stating they represent a way of fostering solidarity and collaborative efforts.