Diana Riba: The Iberian Blackout Shows Why Europe Must Reform Its Energy Model

EFA Group President Diana Riba, addressed the plenary in Strasbourg to debate the blackout the Iberian Peninsula suffered last week, an incident that exposed critical weaknesses in Europe’s energy systems and policy priorities. The recent power outage affecting large parts of the Iberian Peninsula has prompted calls in the European Parliament for greater investment in resilient, public-centred energy infrastructure. “This blackout has taught us three essential lessons,” “Firstly, our daily lives are entirely dependent on electricity. Without it, we lose communication, transport, safety systems, and even basic retail functions.” The Catalan MEP stressed that this level of vulnerability requires a radical improvement in infrastructure. She called for the development of decentralised, smart energy networks and reminded the chamber that key EU directives, such as the one on critical infrastructure, still haven’t been implemented in some member states, including Spain. The blackout led to widespread disruption of transport, public services, and communication across Spain and Portugal. According to MEP Riba, the event also raises broader questions about the ownership and governance of key services. “Secondly, essential services like electricity must be largely public,” she said. “Public control is key to ensuring energy remains a right and not simply a source of high private profits. We need investment in energy storage, smart grids and interconnections, all of which are...