On Monday, April 28, the Iberian peninsula came to a standstill. A sudden failure in the power grid left millions of homes and businesses in Spain and Portugal without electricity, disrupted communications, collapsed transportation and tragically ended the lives of three people. Although the precise causes are not yet known, the Spanish government and the judiciary are investigating everything from a possible technical failure to computer sabotage, which could even constitute a crime of terrorism.

Amidst the chaos and uncertainty, one question remains: how can an industrialized country like Spain go completely dark in a matter of seconds? And more to the point, what models can offer lessons in energy stability?

Colombia: an imperfect but resilient model

More than 8,000 kilometers away, Colombia, a country with enormous challenges in infrastructure, coverage and energy security, has achieved something that Spain could not this week: avoiding massive blackouts. Since the rationing of 1992, caused by a prolonged drought and insufficient infrastructure, Colombia has designed a hybrid model - with a strong private presence, clear rules and a solid regulatory framework - that has allowed it to maintain a continuous supply of energy, even in times of stress such as the El Niño crisis or an attack on key infrastructure.

The country has opted for a diversified energy matrix, where hydroelectric generation remains dominant (around 65% of installed capacity), but with sustained growth in non-conventional sources such as solar and wind. It also has a risk sharing system between generators, marketers and consumers, and an independent grid operator (XM) that ensures real-time technical coordination.

One of the key pillars of the Colombian system has been the "reliability charge" scheme, a mechanism that ensures investments in firm capacity for times of crisis. In other words: those who can generate energy when it is most needed are remunerated. This incentive logic has been fundamental to avoid collapses.

Spain: between European integration and internal fragility

Spain, for its part, is integrated into the European electricity system, which in theory should make it more robust. However, this week's blackout revealed a critical vulnerability: as reported by Red Eléctrica Española, a strong oscillation of power flows, followed by a sudden loss of 60% of generation in just five seconds, led the Iberian peninsula to disconnect from the European system and collapse.

Although the country has made progress in renewables - solar and wind now account for around 40% of its matrix - experts point out that the lack of storage, the intermittency of these sources and the absence of solid backup mechanisms may increase the fragility of the system if not accompanied by more robust technical and political governance.

The nuclear energy debate is also on the table. While the government of Pedro Sánchez plans to close two of the seven active reactors, the far-right opposition has taken advantage of the blackout to blame the lack of nuclear, something the president called "ignorance."

Lessons to be learned

Colombia can learn from Spain in terms of regional integration, transmission infrastructure and participation in carbon markets. But the truth is that Spain also has lessons to learn from Colombia: a model that, with all its imperfections, has achieved stability, resilience and responsiveness in an environment marked by climate, political and economic uncertainty.

In a world where power systems are increasingly complex and interdependent, the challenge is not only to generate clean energy. It is also to ensure that it is always available, even in the middle of a storm. And there, Colombia - yes, Colombia - has something to teach.