Barcelona power cuts have become a chronic issue according to the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC). The party has raised the alarm over recurrent outages plaguing multiple neighbourhoods. Consequently, the municipal group will challenge Mayor Jaume Collboni’s government. Additionally, they demand measures to guarantee reliable electricity supply for residents.
In a formal inquiry submitted to the Economy and Finance Commission, ERC highlighted service interruptions across a swathe of the city. Affected areas include Prosperitat, Torre Baró, La Guineueta, Sant Andreu, El Raval, and Vila de Gràcia. Moreover, speaking to local media, the party indicated the issue extends even further. They cited incidents in Trinitat Vella, La Verneda i la Pau, El Clot, and Ciutat Meridiana.
Your browser does not support the video tag.Home » Barcelona Power Cuts: ERC Slams ‘Chronic’ Outages in Neighbourhoods
A “Chronic” Issue or Isolated Incidents?
According to ERC councillor Jordi Castellana, these outages pose significant risks. “The cuts are not a minor inconvenience; they put people’s health at risk, especially the elderly or dependent persons,” Castellana stated. He noted that the blackouts affect food and medicine preservation. Consequently, they also hinder local businesses and compromise essential services.
ERC argues there is a “clear deficit” in the quality of a basic service. Therefore, they label the recurrent failures as “unacceptable”.
However, the City Council and utility provider Endesa have pushed back against these claims. The press service for the Collboni administration stated there is “no record of any increase in the number of incidents related to power cuts.” When pressed on specific neighbourhoods, the Council deferred to the electricity provider.
Endesa sources denied that cuts are recurrent in all the areas listed by ERC. They acknowledged a long-standing issue in Prosperitat. However, they insisted that other interruptions are occasional. Often these are due to maintenance. Moreover, the company stated such minor outages “have always existed and always will”.
The Standoff in Prosperitat
The situation in Prosperitat appears to be the most severe. Residents near Carrer de Palamós have endured months of instability. This followed a transformer fire in a residential building on 22 September 2025. Consequently, the fire affected supply to multiple surrounding streets.
Endesa claims its repair efforts have been blocked. The owner of a mechanical workshop located on the building’s ground floor has allegedly denied access to remove the damaged transformer. The company states it may be forced to dismantle the equipment “piece by piece” through a street manhole. Meanwhile, Endesa has reinforced other local transformers and installed new low-voltage lines. Additionally, they assert that stability has returned in recent weeks.
Local residents, who protested in December, are demanding a permanent solution. Specifically, they want the relocation of the transformer and compensation for damages caused by the blackouts.
Infrastructure Challenges Elsewhere
In Trinitat Vella, residents report that while cuts are now more sporadic, they remain a problem. Manoli Martínez Vera, president of the neighbourhood association, attributed the original issue to an overload. This was caused by an illegal marijuana plantation tapping into the grid. However, she also criticised the ageing infrastructure. Moreover, she noted that the three transformers supplying the area are “very old”. Consequently, she called for urgent updates to public lighting.
Meanwhile, in La Barceloneta, outages are linked to seasonal demand spikes. Specifically, heating in winter and air conditioning in summer cause issues. Manel Martínez of the local residents’ association urged Endesa to conduct reviews now. Therefore, this would prevent service failures during the upcoming summer season.
Separately, the municipal government recently announced a €14 million investment. This will bury electrical wiring in Torre Baró. Moreover, it responds to a historic demand from the neighbourhood to improve safety and visual impact. This comes as the city is also installing over 1,000 backup batteries in traffic lights. The aim is to mitigate potential disruptions caused by blackouts.
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