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A significant voltage spike that resulted in a widespread power outage across Spanish territory and Portugal has been recognized as the "most severe" power disruption in European nations during the past two decades, and represents a first situation of its type, according to a newly released report.

Damian Cortinas of the group of power network managers declared that this specific situation marked the initial documented electrical disruption to be directly caused by voltage surge, which happens when too much electrical voltage accumulates within a grid.

"This is unprecedented ground," the official stated, explaining that the association's function was "not to determine fault to any organization" regarding the primary source.

The April's blackout produced major interruption for almost one full day when it plunged numerous zones into darkness, disrupting digital communications and halting travel networks.

Extensive Consequences

The power outage affected extensive regions of the Spanish territory and Portugal, and temporarily impacted southern French territories.

The investigation, issued on Friday, focused on the status of the electrical networks on the date of the blackout and the chain of events preceding it.

Systemic Failures

A sequence of "cascading overvoltages" - described as an rise in the power system voltage surpassing the regulated threshold - was determined to be the primary cause behind the failure, the investigation determined.

Overvoltage can be generated by increases in systems due to surplus generation or electrical storms, or when protective equipment are deficient.

Per the study, automated protection systems were initiated but failed to halt the power system from failing.

Multiple Investigations

The report follows several separate inquiries and reports by the Spanish government, as well as energy corporations. The oversight organization and parliament members are also carrying out distinct examinations.

The Spanish government maintains that the organization's report corroborates its own findings.

The minister for energy transition commented that it was "entirely consistent" with the findings of an examination it authorized which concluded in June that each of the main system manager and independent power providers were culpable.

Diverging Accounts

Each of the key system controller and the commercial companies have asserted that they were not at fault. The owning corporation has attributed the failure on specific conventional energy facilities' shortcoming to help preserve appropriate voltage.

Spanish utilities claimed it was generated by inadequate preparation from grid operators.

Examination Challenges

The study also highlighted that specific essential details was missing and that "acquiring comprehensive, accurate information proved particularly problematic for this inquiry".

A final report, to be released in the beginning period of the coming year, will analyze the root causes of the voltage surge and the actions employed to manage voltage in the grid.

Political Controversy

The outage sparked a extensive controversy that extended into the administrative domain about the nation's electrical approach.

The political rivals proposed that an growing dependence on renewable energy, advocated by the ruling coalition of the prime minister, could have been a contributing factor in generating the blackout and the nation's reducing availability of nuclear electricity meant a consistent reserve was unobtainable.

The authorities categorically denied these theories and the recent study was prudent to stay impartial when it concerned the causes of the month's exceptional failure.

Instant Impacts

The power disruption forced professional tennis tournament organizers to suspend a match half way through the event.

The country's nuclear stations automatically stopped when the blackout struck, and the Spanish oil company announced it suspended activities at its oil refineries.

Civil Disorder

Buildings were plunged into darkness, while communication tools and intersection indicators failed to operate. Crowds extended along city blocks and card payments failed, obliging people to line up for money and cram on to mass transit as alternative travel networks were not running.

Rescue personnel were called to 286 buildings to extricate people stuck in lifts in the Madrid region and healthcare centers initiated contingency procedures, suspending routine procedures.