Government launches investigation into Red Eléctrica and Endesa post-blackout

The Catalan government has launched two investigations into Spain's grid operator Red Eléctrica and utility company Endesa to "clarify the causes" of Monday's blackout, as Catalan president Salvador Illa announced during a press conference on Tuesday.

Illa believes that the government's response was "positive, correct, and up to the task" and that the cabinet gave information only once it was verified. Socialist leader Illa spoke during a press conference after an emergency cabinet meeting held on Tuesday morning.

During the meeting, experts confirmed that the power grid was "practically back to usual service," bringing an end to the committee managing the crisis.

With power restored, the government is looking for answers on the blackout, which is why it will launch two investigations into the Red Eléctrica and Endesa to "get to the bottom of all the causes and guarantee that it will not happen again."

The president highlighted that, unlike other Spanish regions, Catalonia did not request a Level 3 emergency warning, meaning that the Spanish government would be able to intervene if necessary.

Illa replied to the opposition parties that criticized the cabinet for the lack of public information, and accusing him of "hiding."

"I was in my office," he said before adding: "To say that someone is hiding when they are in a meeting with the crisis committee four times in the afternoon and three during the morning, is a very special way of defining 'being hidden,'" he said.

Opposition politicians have taken contrasting views of the Spanish and Catalan governments' response to the power outage.

The head of left-wing Comuns in the Catalan Parliament, Jéssica Albiach, criticized the "political opportunism" of those who couldn't wait even 12 hours to try to topple a government and "play politics with people's distress."

However, far-left pro-independence CUP said the Catalan government reacted too late and "could have gone out" to inform the public about the blackout "three hours earlier" than it did.

Spain launches investigation

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also announced the creation of an investigative commission to clarify the causes of Monday's widespread blackout, and pledged that those responsible will be held accountable.

"We will get to the bottom of this, the necessary reforms will be made, measures will be taken to ensure it never happens again, and private operators will be held accountable where necessary," he said.

As well as the government investigation, a judge at Spain's National Court has decided to initiate preliminary proceedings to ascertain whether the recent blackout could have been an act of cyber sabotage against Spain's critical infrastructure.

If proven, this could constitute a terrorist offense.