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A significant electrical overvoltage that resulted in a extensive electrical failure across Spanish territory and Portugal has been identified as the "most critical" electrical incident in Europe during the past 20 years, and represents a pioneering occurrence of its type, according to a newly released investigation.

The president of the organization of electrical system controllers declared that this particular incident marked the first known power failure to be directly caused by excessive voltage, which occurs when too much electrical voltage gathers within a network.

"This is unprecedented ground," Cortinas remarked, explaining that the organization's function was "not to apportion blame to any party" regarding the root origin.

The spring's blackout generated significant interruption for almost one full day when it cast various regions into darkness, cutting digital communications and suspending transport links.

Broad Impact

The blackout impacted significant areas of Spain and Portuguese nation, and briefly affected French border regions.

The investigation, issued on the weekend, focused on the condition of the energy infrastructure on the date of the failure and the chain of incidents preceding it.

Infrastructure Malfunctions

A series of "sequential electrical spikes" - characterized as an increase in the electrical supply voltage surpassing the standard level - was determined to be the primary cause behind the outage, the investigation determined.

Excessive voltage can be caused by surges in systems due to excess production or lightning strikes, or when defensive mechanisms are deficient.

Per the study, automated protection systems were triggered but were unable to stop the electrical network from shutting down.

Several Investigations

The study comes after multiple independent inquiries and analyses by the Madrid authorities, as well as energy corporations. The national energy watchdog and parliament members are also performing independent inquiries.

The national authorities maintains that the association's report validates its own findings.

The minister for energy transition declared that it was "completely in line" with the outcomes of an examination it ordered which ended in June that each of the national grid provider and independent power providers were culpable.

Contrasting Accounts

Both the primary grid operator and the private firms have maintained that they were not responsible. The parent company has assigned responsibility for the failure on specific coal, gas and nuclear power plants' shortcoming to help maintain appropriate voltage.

Local power providers said it was caused by poor planning from network managers.

Examination Obstacles

The report also highlighted that certain crucial information was absent and that "acquiring thorough, reliable details proved extremely difficult for this investigation".

A definitive analysis, to be issued in the beginning period of next year, will analyze the underlying reasons of the electrical spike and the procedures implemented to regulate electrical levels in the system.

Administrative Controversy

The blackout sparked a broader debate that spilled into the governmental sphere about the nation's electrical approach.

The opposition proposed that an growing dependence on green electricity, advocated by the ruling coalition of the prime minister, could have been a contributing factor in causing the blackout and the territory's diminishing production of nuclear electricity meant a consistent reserve was unobtainable.

The government categorically denied these hypotheses and the fresh investigation was cautious to remain neutral when it concerned the sources of the month's exceptional failure.

Instant Impacts

The electrical failure forced Madrid Open Tennis coordinators to halt a competition midway during the contest.

National atomic energy facilities immediately shut down when the outage struck, and the Spanish oil company stated it stopped production at its fuel processing plants.

Social Disruption

Edifices were plunged into darkness, while communication tools and traffic lights stopped working. Queues snaked around street corners and digital purchases stopped working, obliging people to queue for cash and crowd into mass transit as other transport systems were not running.

Rescue personnel were dispatched to 286 buildings to rescue people stuck in lifts in the capital area and hospitals activated emergency plans, stopping normal activities.