Spanish authorities are asking small solar and wind power plants to report on their cyber defenses and any recent system updates, as the country continues to investigate the massive blackout that struck on April 28, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.
The power outage disconnected Spain from the European grid around midday, leaving most of Spain, much of Portugal, and parts of France without electricity for the rest of the day.
Initial assessments suggested a cyberattack was unlikely. On April 29, Red Eléctrica, Spain’s national grid operator, stated the blackout was not caused by a cyber incident. However, no further official explanation has been provided.
The Energy and Environment Ministry told the Financial Times that all possibilities remain open. “As of today, we are not ruling out any possibilities. Everything remains on the table,” the ministry said.
Spain’s National Cybersecurity Institute (Incibe) is now reaching out to operators of small renewable energy facilities. According to sources cited by FT, Incibe has asked these plants whether they noticed unusual activity, carried out software updates before April 28, or if their systems can be accessed remotely.
Government officials reportedly have concerns about the cybersecurity resilience of smaller energy producers, particularly in the wind and solar sectors.
Despite these concerns, many electricity executives and cybersecurity experts told the Financial Times they doubt a cyberattack was the cause of the blackout.
The incident has renewed scrutiny of the energy grid’s stability and the vulnerabilities that may come with the growing share of renewable energy sources.
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