On October 29, 2024, the Valencian Community experienced one of the most severe and complex storms in its history. An Isolated Depression at High Levels (DANA) unleashed torrential rains exceeding 300 liters per square meter within just 24 hours, accompanied by hurricane-force winds reaching up to 120 kilometers per hour.

As if that wasn’t enough, seven tornadoes swept through the region, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Four of them reached EF0 on the Fujita scale, with winds between 105 and 137 kilometers per hour. Two others escalated to EF1, with gusts of up to 178 kilometers per hour.

The most powerful, classified as EF2, struck with winds ranging from 179 to 218 kilometers per hour, devastating infrastructure and amplifying the challenges of an already critical situation.

Torrential rains flooded critical installations, while tornadoes and hurricane-force winds brought down eight main 400 kV transmission lines connecting the Valencian Community to the national electrical grid.

These lines, designed to transport large volumes of electricity, are essential for maintaining supply stability. Their disconnection left the region isolated from the national grid, forcing it to rely solely on its local generation resources to balance supply and demand.

This isolation drastically increased stress on the system, testing its ability to maintain stability amidst fluctuations in electrical frequency, which must stay close to 50 Hz.

This balance is crucial: even minor deviations can trigger automatic disconnections, leading to a total blackout.

The Cofrentes nuclear power plant played a key role in preventing disaster. With an installed capacity of 1,092 MW, this plant generates approximately 44% of the Valencian Community’s annual electricity consumption.

Frequency oscillations posed an imminent risk to its protection systems, designed to automatically disconnect under unstable conditions.

However, the plant’s operators made a critical decision: they reduced generation to 850 MW, an adjustment that stabilized frequency without compromising the plant’s operability.

This decision, made within seconds, was decisive in avoiding an energy collapse that could have paralyzed the region for days.

Meanwhile, Red Eléctrica de España and Iberdrola mobilized strategic resources to stabilize the system. The La Muela pumped-storage hydroelectric plant in Cortes de Pallás played a standout role.

Designed to operate as a massive battery with an installed capacity of 1,772 MW, La Muela went from standby to full capacity in under three minutes. This rapid energy input covered priority loads and eased pressure on other generators.

Gas-fired combined-cycle plants in Castellón and Escombreras were also crucial. Although these plants typically take four to six hours to reach full capacity, coordination among Iberdrola, Red Eléctrica, and plant operators enabled them to begin generating electricity in record time, further stabilizing the system.

The physical impact on electrical infrastructure was devastating. In towns like Requena and Buñol, high-voltage towers collapsed under the force of the winds, while floods submerged strategic substations such as Catadau and Quart de Poblet.

More than 155,000 users were left without power in the initial hours, facing a scenario of uncertainty that began to ease thanks to the coordinated effort of over 500 technicians and engineers mobilized from across the country.

Equipped with drones and thermal cameras, they quickly inspected damaged lines, prioritizing the most critical repairs. Portable generators and heavy-duty cranes were deployed to restore power at priority sites, while specialized vehicles facilitated repairs in challenging terrain.

In some cases, entire towers had to be rebuilt from scratch, a task that would normally take weeks but was completed in days thanks to an unprecedented logistical effort.

One month later, the Valencian Community’s electrical system has been fully restored, though much work remains to be done.

This meteorological disaster underscored the urgent need to adapt infrastructure to increasingly extreme weather events.

High-voltage towers must be redesigned to withstand stronger winds, while substations require advanced flood protection systems.

Additionally, a balanced mix of dispatchable sources, such as nuclear and hydroelectric, must complement renewables during crises.

The swift response of technical teams and the coordination among key players not only averted a massive blackout but also demonstrated that, with preparation and technology, even the most complex challenges can be faced.

What happened on October 29 was not just a climatic disaster but a warning about the fragility of our infrastructure and the importance of preparing for what lies ahead.

Extreme weather events are becoming an increasingly frequent reality, and the question is no longer if we will face another crisis like this, but when.

By then, we must be ready with more robust infrastructure and operational systems that not only withstand but thrive under the most adverse conditions.

Because, in the end, electricity is not just a necessity—it is the lifeblood of our society. One month later, this lesson has been learned.