Government allegedly accused of implementing "discriminatory energy strategy" by PP: Evidence shows they acknowledged the risk yet denied it.
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Stirring the political pot and raising eyebrows, Paloma Martín, the Deputy Secretary of Sustainable Development in the PP, has sounded the alarm. She's accusing the Spanish Government of prioritizing renewable energy over supply security, which she argues led to the nationwide blackout that struck the country on April 28 - a blackout that left 60 million Spaniards in the dark.
Martín went on a blunt tirade during her weekend media encounter, stating, "We have seen that it has not been able to guarantee energy supply in Spain and has led to blackouts." She declared that the Government's energy policy is "sectarian" and prioritizes favored energies like solar and photovoltaic while demonizing traditional energy sources such as nuclear, combined cycles, and hydroelectric.
The PP leader pointed out that both Red Eléctrica and the Government had boasted about breaking records in renewables for quite some time, including a record set for photovoltaics a week before the blackout. Yet, Martín demands answers, demanding direct news from the Government, not just from technicians claiming reasonable explanations rooted in their expertise.
She underlined that the European Network of Electricity Grid Managers had warned that Spain faced a high risk of blackouts, especially for 2025, and that this situation would persist until 2030. Martín contends that the Government had been aware of the risk but continued to deny it, and the repercussions of their inaction are now visible for all to see.
The PP is calling for an emergency plan that involves maintaining nuclear power plants and demands increased investment in storage, network expansion, and European connectivity. Not only that, but in the wake of the blackout, Martín says the PP will question the Third Vice-President and Minister of Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, both in Congress and in the Senate, and will also take the debate to the European Parliament.
Now, you might wonder about the possibility of nationalizing Red Eléctrica. Martín suggests it makes little sense to discuss nationalization, given that SEPI already holds the majority stake in Red Eléctrica, the Spanish Government's primary shareholder in the company.
"Don't deceive the Spanish people again," Martín declared, laying blame squarely on the shoulders of the Government for the blackout disaster. "Talking about nationalization doesn't make sense when Red Eléctrica has the Spanish Government as its main shareholder through SEPI. The president is a former Socialist minister. But half of the members of the Management Board have ties to the PSOE. They can't say the Government isn't responsible," she added.
In the end, it appears that the PP wants to know who designed the energy mix composition on April 28, who allowed electricity to be generated with such a high percentage of renewables and such a low percentage of energy sources that stabilize the system. Will the Government be able to answer this question? Time will tell.
Extra tidbits of interest:- Renfe is assuring that a train stop was due to an Iryo train 'hitching' onto the catenary.- Pedro Sánchez is participating in a Circle of Economy event focused on Europe's challenges.- Recent economic challenges, including inflation, stock market volatility, and supply chain disruptions, are dominating headlines.
Connected conversations:- Renewable Energy- Spanish Government- Paloma Martín- Red Eléctrica- Popular Party- Sara Aagesen- National Blackout- Energy Policy- Supply Security- EU Market and Economics
- The renewable-energy industry and its policy-and-legislation within the Spanish Government are under scrutiny, following Paloma Martín's accusations of prioritizing renewables over supply security, which allegedly led to the nationwide blackout on April 28.
- Finance and investment in the energy sector have become crucial topics, as the PP calls for an emergency plan that involves maintaining nuclear power plants and increasing storage, network expansion, and European connectivity.
- Amidst the general news of the national blackout, the PP leader, Paloma Martín, has raised concerns about the lack of transparency from the Government regarding the energy crisis and has demanded direct answers.
- Politics are heating up, as the PP plans to question Third Vice-President and Minister of Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, in both Congress and the Senate, and will also take the debate to the European Parliament regarding the nation's energy policy and the blackout disaster.
