Unveiling the Cause Behind Spain and Portugal's Historic Power Outage
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Power failure origin in Spain and Portugal identified - Power outage in Spain and Portugal: Origin and causes explained.
Seven weeks following the unprecedented power failure on the Iberian Peninsula, the blame has been unveiled. Spain's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment, Sara Aagesen, disclosed the cause during a press conference in Madrid—excessive voltage in the grid, which subsequently ignited a domino effect of protective shutdowns. There was no evidence indicating a cyber-attack, according to Aagesen.
The escalating voltage in Spain's power grid was a result of several mishaps. Initially, the grid operator, Red Eléctrica, failed to plan power generation using prudence, resulting in an insufficient number of power plants with turbines, capable of effectively managing voltage peaks. On the contrary, operators of conventional power plants, such as combined cycle, nuclear, and hydroelectric power plants, neglected to absorb adequate voltage from the grid. This, in turn, forced other power plants to disconnect from the grid in response to voltage surges, which they were not authorized to do as per system guidelines.
Multiple Oversights in the Spanish and Portuguese Grid
Despite the revelation, it initially remained unclear why Red Eléctrica was so hasty in its planning and why power plant operators acted irrationally. Aagesen merely hinted at a lack of cooperation, unclear responsibilities, and a lack of transparency in the entire system.
As the grid grapples with integrating an increasing amount of solar and wind energy sources, additional investments are essential. Experts, such as those from the Federal Network Agency, advocate for synchronous condensers, large rotating machines that can take over the stabilizing function of traditional turbines in conventional power plants. Moreover, intelligent inverters of solar and wind power plants could help with active voltage and frequency regulation in the grid. Furthermore, large battery storage systems, capable of delivering or absorbing power in milliseconds and thus stabilizing the grid, may prove to be vital components in maintaining grid stability.
[1] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351311489_The_Spanish_Power_Grid_Analysis_of_System_Challenges_and_Policy_Measures_to_support_the_Energy_Transition
[2] https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/sustainability/publications/transitioning-the-power-sector-electricity-supply-resilience-system-design-future-scenarios.html
[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352472519301173
[4] https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-43480-9_5
[5] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352472521003212
- The Spanish government has emphasized the need for investments in technology such as synchronous condensers, intelligent inverters, and large battery storage systems to ensure the stability of the grid as it integrates more renewable energy sources, like solar and wind energy.
- The energy policy should consider the implementation of such technologies, including the use of synchronous condensers, intelligent inverters, and large battery storage systems, to enhance the grid's ability to manage voltage peaks and maintain stability, especially in the context of increasing reliance on renewable energy from the industry, as clearly demonstrated by the recent power outage incident.
