The United Kingdom’s electricity network experienced unusual disruptions just hours before a major blackout struck Spain and Portugal.
The National Grid ESO, which oversees the flow of electricity across the U.K., said it was investigating a series of unexpected frequency shifts that occurred on Sunday, shortly before widespread outages in the Iberian Peninsula.
Why It Matters
The U.K.’s investigation is vital because unexplained frequency fluctuations can hint at systemic weaknesses. As power grids integrate more renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, critics fear that they will become more vulnerable to disruptions that can spread rapidly.
What To Know
Sunday evening saw a series of unexplained shutdowns at several power plants in the U.K., causing minor but abnormal variations in grid frequency, The Telegraph reported.
National Grid ESO emphasized that no widespread outages were reported domestically, but the anomalies warranted a deeper investigation.
Just hours later, Spain and Portugal suffered one of the worst energy failures in recent memory.
The Iberian Peninsula heavily relies on renewable sources like wind and solar, which can complicate grid management due to their variability, CNN reported. Without adequate backup systems, such networks can experience swift and massive outages.
https://www.newsweek.com/uk-power-outage-spain-portugal-failure-2065615
I am surprised that wasn’t reported on as well.
h/t MinutesOfHorror