Grid failure and interconnection issue between Franco-Spanish power systems resulted in a grid collapse.
LIGHTS OUT ACROSS SPAIN AND PORTUGAL: WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?
Madrid was plunged into darkness on Monday, as a massive blackout hit most of the Iberian Peninsula. The power outage, lasting for several hours, caused widespread disruptions in both Spain and Portugal. But what exactly happened?
According to the Spanish grid operator REE, the blackout was due to a sudden large drop in power supply that caused the grid interconnection between Spain and France to trip. This sudden power supply loss amounted to 15 gigawatts in just five seconds, around 1033 GMT.
REE's system operations chief, Eduardo Prieto, told reporters that the loss of power was beyond the limits that European systems are designed to handle. This catastrophic power drop led to the disconnection of both the Spanish and French grids, eventually causing the collapse of the Spanish electricity network.
"The severity of this disconnection and the severe imbalance of power generation within our electrical system resulted in the collapse of the electrical system," Prieto explained at a news conference.
While the causes behind the massive power loss on Monday morning remain a mystery, the outcome has raised concerns. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez delivered a national address, where he stated that no definitive theories have been ruled out regarding the event.
One theory suggests that the blackout may have been caused by numerous power plants across the regions, including nuclear reactors, hydroelectric plants, and fossil fuel-based plants[1]. Moreover, both wind and solar energy production were likely curtailed[1].
As the investigation continues, it has been disclosed that France's power grid endured the impact of the blackout without any significant issues[1]. Further updates and insights are expected as the mystery surrounding the massive blackout in Spain and Portugal is unraveled.
Stay tuned for more updates.
Note:In case of any confusion or ambiguity, it's essential to note that this article aims to provide an informative and engaging summary of the events, based on the available reports and information at the time of publishing[2]. As the investigations continue, more details regarding the incident may emerge, leading to potential updates in our understanding of the blackout's cause(s).
[1] Enrichment Data
[2] Base ArticleMADRID: A massive blackout that hit most of the Iberian Peninsula on Monday was due to a sudden, large drop in power supply that caused the grid interconnection between Spain and France to trip, according to Spanish grid operator REE.The network lost 15 gigawatts of electricity generation in five seconds at around 1033 GMT, the Energy Ministry said on Monday evening, without explaining the reason for the loss.REE's system operations chief Eduardo Prieto told reporters the loss of power supply was beyond the extent that European systems are designed to handle and caused the Spanish and French grids to disconnect, which in turn led to the collapse of the Spanish electricity network."As the result of this disconnection and the serious imbalance of band generation that is in our electrical system, the electrical system collapsed," he said in a news conference.The ultimate reasons behind the massive loss of power on Monday morning were not identified by REE staff, and no hypothesis is ruled out, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a national address.The blackout that lasted for several hours caused massive disruptions in Spain and Portugal. Power was gradually restored in most of both countries on Monday evening.
- The blackout that struck Spain and Portugal on Monday was caused by a sudden drop in power supply, which tripped the grid interconnection between Spain and France, as revealed by the Spanish grid operator REE.
- The loss of power amounted to 15 gigawatts in just five seconds at around 1033 GMT, surpassing the limits that European systems are designed to handle, according to REE's system operations chief, Eduardo Prieto.
- The power outage disconnected both the Spanish and French grids, eventually leading to the collapse of the Spanish electricity network, as explained by Prieto during a news conference.
- Despite ongoing investigations, the cause of the massive power loss is yet to be definitively identified, with numerous theories under consideration, including issues with power plants and reduced wind and solar energy generation.
