The “normality” of power outages persists in many small municipalities, a year after a general blackout that affected various areas of the country. These interruptions, which intensify with bad weather, cause numerous problems for residents and have led local governments to escalate their complaints to administrations and E-Distribución, part of the Endesa group, responsible for the network.
In Mas de Barberans, in Montsià, electricity supply cuts, and by extension telephone and internet services, are a constant. The mayor has expressed the difficulty of quantifying the number of incidents due to their frequency, pointing out that the problem is structural and long-standing. Despite meetings with the company and the Consell Comarcal del Montsià, the major investments promised last year have not yet materialized.
“"I wouldn't know the number due to the sheer absurdity of the cuts there have been. The day of the blackout was just another day."
The outages can last for hours, sometimes more than 12, and are often attributed to meteorological phenomena or animal-related issues. However, the local council argues that a robust and well-maintained electrical grid would prevent these interruptions. Minor improvements were reportedly made in April, before the major festivities, but the significant investment to reinforce the line from Roquetes, which would involve expropriations and bureaucratic procedures, remains pending.
The situation is similar in Molló, in Ripollès, where the blackout a year ago was experienced with “a certain normality” due to the frequency of outages. The mayor highlighted the most serious incident on March 15, with winds exceeding 100 km/h, which left the municipality isolated for a day and a half. This vulnerability raises concerns about population loss and reduced competitiveness in the area.
“"What we ask for is guaranteed minimum and basic services; we are not asking for a hospital next door (...) because we are increasingly less prepared to face emergency situations or climate change."
In Pratdip, in Baix Camp, the proximity to the Vandellòs II nuclear power plant adds another layer of concern. Supply cuts, which have exceeded 24 hours, leave the town isolated, with insufficient emergency communication systems. The mayor has highlighted the paradox that, despite being a nuclear zone requiring autonomous communications, the electricity and telecommunications network is precarious.
Sources from the Endesa group, for their part, have questioned the severity of the problems, attributing the cuts to extreme weather events and assuring that improvements are being made according to a three-year investment plan validated by the Government. Nevertheless, local councils insist on the need for urgent and structural solutions to guarantee decent basic services in rural areas.
