Latest news on blackouts in Spain, Portugal and France – all because of solar power?

Let’s lead off with a back-story, from here:

(100) Blackouts Update: A Race Against the Sun in Spain Now

“Bloomberg’s Javier Blas reports that, prior to Monday’s blackout hitting, Spain’s grid was generating power mainly with wind and solar, and very little spinning baseload generation, which in Spain is mainly provided by natural gas. At the moment the blackout occurred, wind/solar accounted for 78% of all active generation, nuclear another 11.7%, and natural gas just 3.37%.

So now, as of about 3:40 p.m. in Spain, grid operators are in a race against the sun, trying to spin up as much gas generation as they possibly can before the setting sun, along with its dying winds, shuts down 3/4ths of the grid’s active generation.”

Here’s the explanation from Brave AI:

“A massive power outage has affected large parts of Spain and Portugal, causing widespread blackouts and disrupting transportation, communication, and other essential services. The exact cause of the outage is still under investigation, but it is not yet clear if it is related to renewable energy sources.

Key Developments:

• Impact on Spain and Portugal: The blackout has caused significant disruptions, including the halting of all rail traffic in Spain and warnings against unnecessary travel in Portugal due to the risk of traffic lights failing.

• Restoration Efforts: Spanish power grid operator Red Eléctrica has stated that restoring power could take between six to 10 hours. Some areas in Spain and Portugal have begun to see power restoration, but the process is ongoing.

• Possible Causes: While the exact cause remains unclear, data suggests a voltage imbalance in the European power grid, which may be linked to a problem in Spain’s transportation network. However, there is no conclusive evidence pointing to a cyberattack or a fire in France as the cause.

• Impact on France and Andorra: Parts of France’s Basque Country and some areas of Andorra also experienced brief outages, but power was restored quickly.

• Government Response: Both Spain and Portugal have convened emergency meetings to address the situation. Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has called for calm and stated that the government is working to restore power as soon as possible.

Additional Details:

• Emergency Services: In Madrid, firefighters have carried out numerous elevator interventions, and municipal workers are providing support to critical centers and vulnerable populations.

• Public Reactions: There have been reports of panic buying in supermarkets, with shelves emptying quickly as people stock up on essentials.

• International Assistance: Ukraine has offered assistance to Spain, Portugal, and France following the widespread blackouts.

As of now, the situation is still developing, and more information is expected to emerge as investigations continue.”

Sign of the times. Interconnectors have problems!

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