
Repsol's petrochemical complex shut down after power supply failure
MADRID, June 16 (Reuters) - Repsol (REP.MC), opens new tab is working to restart a petrochemical complex in central Spain after it had to shut it down due to an external power supply failure, a spokesperson said on Monday.
"Today at 6 a.m. there has been an interruption in the external power supply of the Puertollano industrial complex, for reasons beyond the control of the centre," the spokesperson told Reuters.
The spokesperson said safety systems kicked in and worked correctly, declining further comment.
A spokesperson for grid operator REE said that the problem was not connected to the transmission grid it managed and it had not detected any issues.
Spain is still reeling from the worst blackout to hit the Iberian peninsula, which in April left around 60 million people without power.
While the cause has yet to be determined, energy companies, industry experts and lobby groups said that several power glitches in the days before the outage pointed to the instability of the country's power grid.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Hartlepool and Peterlee hit by power blackout
More than 55,000 customers were left without electricity after a power cut in north-east Powergrid said areas affected included Hartlepool on Teesside and Peterlee in east Durham when the blackout hit just after 21:00 BST on company said 40,000 households and businesses had supplies restored within three it confirmed that 27 customers were still without electricity and it was "actively working in the area to fully resolve the issue as quickly as possible". Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.


Reuters
3 days ago
- Reuters
Spain's commitment to NATO 'total', defence minister says
MADRID, June 20 (Reuters) - Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles said on Friday her country is totally committed to NATO, a day after Madrid asked the alliance to be exempted from the proposed increase in the defence spending target to 5% of gross domestic product. "Spain and its armed forces are a serious, trustworthy, responsible ally that is absolutely committed to the European Union and the Atlantic Alliance," Robles said in Madrid. "No one can call it into question." Her comments came following a letter by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to NATO chief Mark Rutte on Thursday that could derail a summit at which the military alliance plans to ask them to commit to the 5% target. In his letter, Sanchez requested a "more flexible formula" that either makes the spending target optional or excludes Spain from its application. At an estimated 1.28% of GDP, Spain had the lowest proportion of expenditure on defence in the alliance last year, according to NATO estimates. Sanchez agreed in April to accelerate efforts to meet NATO's current target of 2% this year.


The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
Judge rejects Airbnb's appeal in move that could change Spanish tourism forever
A Spanish court has upheld an order for Airbnb to block nearly 66,000 rental listings across the country, rejecting an appeal from the online platform. The ruling reinforces the government's stance that these short-term rentals violate local regulations and contribute to Spain 's escalating housing crisis, particularly as the nation experiences record tourist numbers. The Consumer Rights Ministry had previously flagged the listings for violations, issuing an order last month for Airbnb to remove 65,935 properties. Of these, 5,800 were identified for immediate takedown. An Airbnb spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment on the Madrid 's High Court 's decision. The ministry has said the listings it flagged did not include their license number or specify whether the owner was an individual or a company. It said others listed numbers that didn't match what authorities had. Last month, Consumer Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy told The Associated Press that the tourism sector could not "jeopardise the constitutional rights of the Spanish people.' This included their right to housing and well-being. Carlos Cuerpo, the economy minister, said in a separate interview that the government had to tackle the unwanted side effects of mass tourism. It comes following protests across Spain and popular European hotspots. Earlier this month, protesters used water guns against unsuspecting tourists in Barcelona and on the Spanish island of Mallorca as demonstrators marched to demand a rethink of an economic model they believe is fuelling a housing crunch and erasing the character of their hometowns. The marches were part of the first coordinated effort by activists concerned with the ills of overtourism across southern Europe's top destinations. While several thousands rallied in Mallorca in the biggest gathering of the day, hundreds more gathered in other Spanish cities, as well as in Venice, Italy, and Portugal's capital, Lisbon. 'The squirt guns are to bother the tourists a bit,' Andreu Martínez said in Barcelona with a chuckle after spritzing a couple seated at an outdoor café. 'Barcelona has been handed to the tourists. This is a fight to give Barcelona back to its residents.' Martínez, a 42-year-old administrative assistant, is one of a growing number of residents who are convinced that tourism has gone too far in the city of 1.7 million people. Barcelona hosted 15.5 million visitors last year eager to see Antoni Gaudí's La Sagrada Familia basilica and the Las Ramblas promenade. Martínez says his rent has risen over 30 per cent as more apartments in his neighborhood are rented to tourists for short-term stays. He said there is a knock-on effect of traditional stores being replaced by businesses catering to tourists, like souvenir shops, burger joints and 'bubble tea' spots. 'Our lives, as lifelong residents of Barcelona, are coming to an end," he said. "We are being pushed out systematically.'