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Spanish and Portuguese Firms Invest in Battery Backup After Power Outages
Key points
- A power failure in April last year caused widespread disruption in Portugal and Spain.
- Fribin, a Spanish meat processor, lost hundreds of thousands of euros due to the outage.
- Fribin invested 1.5 million euros in two 5 MWh battery modules.
- Industrial sectors are adopting storage systems to prevent production drops and equipment damage.
Widespread Power Failure Impacts Production
In April last year, a massive power failure affected Spain and Portugal for several hours, leading to significant disruption. The Spanish meat processing firm Fribin, located in Binéfar, experienced a complete halt in production, resulting in substantial financial losses. Emergency systems were insufficient to maintain operations, forcing the company to discard many tonnes of meat.
Investment in Battery Backup Systems
Following the blackout, Fribin decided to invest in battery backup systems, a move previously considered too expensive. The company purchased a five megawatt-hour module in June 2025 and ordered a second module of the same capacity in June 2026. The total investment of approximately 1.5 million euros was partly funded by the European Union's Next Generation funds.
Increased Vulnerability and Industry Response
European firms are increasingly switching to electricity from fossil fuels, supported by EU subsidies, to reduce emissions. However, this transition has made them more susceptible to power outages. The industrial sector in Spain and Portugal is actively seeking storage solutions to mitigate disruption, as even brief power interruptions can damage machinery and halt production. Recent incidents, such as Storm Kristin in Portugal, further underscore the need for resilient power solutions.
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Reporting from
Companies in Spain and Portugal are investing in battery backup systems following widespread power failures that caused significant financial losses and production halts. This shift is driven by increased vulnerability to power cuts as firms transition to electricity from fossil fuels for industrial needs.