The Real Culprits Behind Spain's Unexpected Power Outage: Solar Power Wasn't the Issue
- by Buddy Jones
- 5 Mins
Power Outage in Spain: Neither Solar Farms nor Cyber Attacks Caused the Disruption - Electricity Outage in Spain: Neither Solar Farms nor Digital Assaults responsible for the power disruption
In the scorching heat of the afternoon on April 28, a startling 33 seconds of darkness blanketed the entire Iberian Peninsula. Traffic lights malfunctioned, trains screeched to a halt, and the internet went haywire. This shocking power outage not only left Spaniards and Portuguese in disarray but also highlighted the vulnerability of our digital-dependent world. It took until the early hours of the next day for power to be fully restored.
In the aftermath, the burning question on everyone's mind: Who or what was responsible for this power snafu? On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment, Sara Agassi, presented the official government report, seven weeks later in Madrid.
Solar Power Overdrive or Cyberattack? Wrong Again!
A popular theory swirling through the grapevine was that the power grid was incapable of handling the influx of solar power on that sunny day. Another theory: A nefarious cyberattack had taken place. However, both theories were debunked by the Spanish government. The accident, they asserted, was indeed preventable. It was a chain of oversights and errors, rather than a single catastrophic blunder, that led to the blackout.
To grasp the intricacies of what transpired, it is crucial to understand the workings of the power grid. Electricity doesn't always flow at a steady pace. In the morning, people shower, brew coffee, and crank up the air conditioning. Meanwhile, factories ramp up production in the morning and then slow down at noon. On the other hand, power generation varies due to factors like the amount of sunlight and wind. Consistent power plants, such as nuclear facilities, churn out a constant amount of energy, regardless of consumption levels.
To maintain balance, certain power plants are continually adjusted up and down. These power plants can also take in a specific limit of power to offset increased voltages in the grid. The generators of all power plants synchronize at 50 rotations per second (50 Hertz) to keep the power grid steady.
Only Nine Heroes on the Grid
The fateful day in question, there were merely ten such power plants with synchronous generators available in Spain to maintain grid stability. This was far lower than usual, criticized the government report. It was the lowest number of the year. Moreover, it was discovered the night before that one of the ten power plants was offline, but no alternative was initially requested.
Around noon, strange, slow fluctuations were sensed in the Spanish power grid. These occur when the generators no longer swing in sync. These oscillations were counterbalanced, among other things, by restricting the connection to the power grid in France.
At 12:16 and 12:19 PM, similar oscillations reared their heads again, this time noticeable throughout Europe. The Spanish grid operator took corrective measures.
One Crisis Averted, Another Intensified
The problem: These measures increased the voltage in the power grid each time, creating new complications. It was these escalating overvoltages that eventually triggered the blackout. After the second countermeasure, the grid operator realized that the situation was getting precarious. They petitioned for the startup of another power plant to stabilize the grid. It took one and a half hours to be ready.
Too little, too late. Just a quarter of an hour later, at 12:32 PM, the tension in the power grid suddenly and persistently rose due to previous events. If the voltage in the power grid is significantly too high, it causes normal power generators to shut down automatically for protection. This is exactly what transpired: Within 21 seconds, power generation facilities in Granada, Badajoz, and other provinces went offline. This set off a domino effect across the Iberian Peninsula, with the European grid disconnecting from Spain for its own safety. After only 12 more seconds, the power was extinguished across the entire Iberian Peninsula.
The Grid Operator Under Fire
The government report now components severe indictments against the grid operator Red Eléctrica and various power plant operators. "There was a lack of capacity for voltage regulation, either because they were not sufficiently programmed or because the programmed capacities did not comply with regulations. Or a combination of both," said Minister of Ecology Sara Agassi on Tuesday on RTVE, Spain's public television. Then to clear themselves of blame. "What we can certainly say is that it was not due to a lack in the country, as there were enough power plants to cover demand."
Sloppiness in planning and programming by power plant and grid operators were the root causes. Some facilities shut down despite the voltage in their area still being within acceptable limits. Particularly egregious: Some of the power plants that were meant to stabilize the network behaved contrary to the regulations. They generated more voltage instead of absorbing it from the network, thereby speeding up the implosion.
The Spanish Association of Electricity Companies Aelec also criticized the Spanish grid operator Red Eléctrica. "The decision was made to control the voltage with limited synchronous capacity and an unbalanced geographical distribution, which put the system in a precarious position," the association explained on RTVE. In other words, if more power plants had been available and better distributed across the country, the blackout could have been prevented.
The Final Word (Not Quite)?
However, it remains unclear whether this is the final verdict on the sequence of events. The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), which oversees the security of the European network, has yet to comment. Its investigation into the April 28 blackout is still ongoing, and there are three representatives of the German Federal Network Agency on the commission.
Only three weeks ago, the heads of ENTSO-E complained to Minister Agassi that they still had not received all the requested data on the power outage from Spanish energy companies, especially from smaller grid operators and power plant operators, and asked for assistance. The Federal Network Agency declined to comment on the ongoing investigations by the European transmission system operators when asked by stern.
The Future: Upgrades and Modern Technology
Regardless, the Spanish government has already moved on from the analysis and intends to make its power grid more secure: more resources for controlling voltage surges, but also better monitoring of power plants and grid operators. Additionally, they want to significantly increase the connection with overhead lines to the rest of Europe. Unlike in Spain, fluctuations in network frequency in the rest of Europe were easier to absorb, simply because the network is much larger and more powerful.
Finally, Spain aims to invest in modern technology to enable renewable energies to also stabilize the grid. This includes the use of batteries for intermediate storage of voltage peaks and so-called "grid-supporting inverters" on batteries and solar cells. Currently, the inverters used to connect solar cells to the grid, for example, behave passively. The new variant could stabilize the grid like a power plant generator.
Sources: Spanish Ministry of Environment, RTVE, ENTSO-E, SMC
- Blackout
- Spain
- Sara Agassi
- Solar energy
- Power grid
- Red Eléctrica
- Within the context of this article, it's crucial to note that the proposal for community policy should aim to upgrade power grids, implement modern technology, and improve the training of those operating power plants to prevent such incidents in the future.
- As the politics around this crisis unfold, it's essential for policy-and-legislation to hold power plant and grid operators accountable for any lapses in planning and programming that led to the power outage, while also focusing on vocational training to improve the performance of the power sector.
