Spain could go into blackout again. Warning from the national electricity grid operator, Red Electrica
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Spain’s electricity grid operator is warning that the country could be on the brink of another blackout, according to Euronews.
Electricity grid operator Red Eléctrica has warned that a “sudden voltage variation” could affect electricity supplies, urging residents to prepare for another blackout, according to the source cited.
Spain’s grid operator, Red Eléctrica, has said that the country could be on the brink of another major power outage, after “sudden voltage variations” were detected across the system in the past two weeks.
The warning comes six months after a blackout in April that left 60 million people in Spain and Portugal without electricity for more than 10 hours.
The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) said in a report published last Friday that the blackout at that time was triggered by a surge, as the system encountered difficulties in absorbing sudden energy losses.
The recent variations in the system are “likely to affect the security of supply, if the proposed changes are not implemented,” Red Eléctrica said in a document sent to the regulatory authority CNMC.
The network operator requests technical changes
Red Eléctrica associated the unusual fluctuations recently detected in the electricity grid with sudden changes in renewable energy production and the reaction time of the installations responsible for dynamic voltage control.
Although the voltage values are maintained within the permitted limits, they could cause disconnections of consumers or production, capable of destabilizing the system, the company warned.
Red Eléctrica requested urgent technical changes and temporary approval of several operational procedures related to scheduling, technical restrictions, secondary regulation and voltage control, to prevent the system from being overloaded again.
These changes would initially apply for 30 days, with the possibility of an additional 15-day extension. The CNMC has opened a public consultation period until October 15.
How can residents prepare?
Even before the April blackout, the European Union asked member states to develop a “72-hour survival kit” to help citizens cope with any crisis.
Such kits, optional for member states, have proven useful for residents of Spain and Portugal after the massive blackout.
Given the possibility of another wave, experts are warning residents to have at least a basic emergency kit at home, including essential items such as drinking water, non-perishable food, a first aid kit, a flashlight, a battery-operated radio, and an external battery for cell phones.
Other useful items in such situations include extra drinking water, cash, warm clothing, and candles.
