In response to a major power outage that affected much of the Iberian Peninsula on Monday, Morocco mobilized up to 38% of its available electricity production to support Spain, following a formal request from Red Eléctrica Española (REE).

The blackout disrupted critical infrastructure across Spain and Portugal—halting trains, shutting down airports, and trapping people in elevators. Morocco’s National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) activated its cross-border interconnection with Spain, supplying 519 megawatts, or 11.5% of its total electricity, through submarine cables linking Fardioua (near Tangier) and Tarifa (Cadiz).

According to data from Electricity Maps, Morocco restarted coal and gas-fired plants to meet both domestic demand and the export load. The rapid response was enabled by a dual 1,400 MW capacity interconnection system, in operation since 1988 and set to expand by 2028.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez praised the move, calling it a “crucial gesture of solidarity.” Meanwhile, a joint investigation by Spain’s cybersecurity agency INCIBE and the CNI intelligence service is underway. Preliminary findings point to two simultaneous failures at substations in southwestern Spain, though the exact causes remain unknown.

The event underscores the strategic importance of cross-border electricity infrastructure in managing grid stability during regional crises.

Source: middle-east-online.com